


Matchmaking Mayhem

by Apollon_Mousagetes



Category: Agents of Mayhem (Video Game)
Genre: Agents trying to be Cupid, F/M, Randomness, an extreme version of marriage counseling, these tags are getting out of control, this bound to be a disaster
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-31
Updated: 2018-07-18
Packaged: 2019-04-16 08:12:47
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 17
Words: 21,498
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14160522
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Apollon_Mousagetes/pseuds/Apollon_Mousagetes
Summary: After finding out that Persephone Brimstone used to be married with the Minister of Envy and apparently said French is still have a feeling for him (despite of his 'monstrosity' act of destroying Paris), the Agents decided to play Cupid/Marriage Counselors. No one said that being matchmakers ever easy...





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Ever since I watched Persephone's Story in game, I was like 'hey, I wonder if I can write fanfic about her and her ex-husband?' and this random fic was born!
> 
> Let me know if you guys want more
> 
> EDIT 24/04/2018: Someone from Volition had confirmed that the Minister of Envy's real name is Lucas Brimstone and he's specialized in assassination. Apparently, he was planned to appear in later sequels/DLCs but due to the lack of sales for AoM, they were cancelled. Too bad.
> 
> So it's official, (unless another member from Volition confirm otherwise) his name is Lucas and for some unknown reason, Persephone still keep her married name... (her maiden name is not Brimstone) 
> 
> What an anticlimactic...

As usual, mission briefing always bores the Agents. Between the usual invading the LEGION lairs and the usual stopping the world domination, nothing different. Also, because Persephone is ridiculously monotonous.

But today briefing… somehow different. Not only there are more than three Agents for the briefing than the usual—in fact all Agents are here, Persephone looked slightly depressed. _Slightly_.

“Agents,” Persephone spoken, with her usual no nonsense attitude. “it had come to my attention that… Ministry of Envy suddenly took an interest on Tuscany, Italy.”

“Tuscany?” Joule piped up. “That’s where my _nonna_ lived! I wonder how she’s—”

Persephone immediately stopped her. “As I was saying, there was a sudden activity from LEGION’s Ministry of Envy. There’s a speculation that they must have after the sudden appearance of Dark Matter from below the soil of Tuscany. Whatever it is, I want you all to find what they are planning and put a stop to it—”

“Eh, isn’t Tuscany that place with winery?” Hollywood asked.

“I dunno, I thought it’s Florence?” Kingpin shrugged.

“Aren’t Florence and Tuscany the same thing?” Gat bumped in.

“How do you guys even know about the cities in Italy?” Fortune asked, eyes widened.

“Assassin’s Creed.”

Joule rolled her eyes while mumbling something incoherent—that suspiciously sounded like, ‘uncultured _bastardi_ ’.

Persephone of course is unamused when her briefing was cut off like that. “Agents. I would prefer this mission to be handled in extreme care _and_ deadly serious. Ministry of Envy is different than Ministry of Pride. The Pridetroopers may have been more open and boastful in battle, but the Envytroopers are more careful and unpredictable. Don’t let your guard down and don’t underestimate them.”

“That definitely doesn’t sound too ominous.” Kingpin muttered.

“Be quiet!” Fortune hushed him.

The screen in the conference room now showed up a picture of a man with light brown hair, stubble beard, and dark brown eyes.

“This man is called Hades Rex – the head of LEGION’s Ministry of Envy. He’s the most discreet and calculating than the other ministers. Not even Doctor Babylon would dare to cross him.”

The Agents can see the information besides him. His real name is Lucas Brimstone, with a surprising age of over 80 years old—something that baffled both Joule and Daisy, since the guy in the picture looked like he’s no more than 40.

“Are everyone in LEGION ageless or something?” Daisy gaped. “Babylon was frickin’ 124! What is it with bad guys and immortality?”

“Persephone is over 70.” Safeword murmured.

“Exactly!”

Other than the fact that the Ministry of Envy hailed from Spain and he’s specialized in assassination, nothing much said about him.

“He doesn’t look like a Spaniard.” Braddock quipped.

“Not all Spaniards tanned you know.” Rama said.

Everyone ignored their banters.

“We have tracked his facility beneath Tuscany, Italy. You have only one objective, Agents. Find and uncover whatever the LEGION planned for the Dark Matter and return here, _immediately_.”

“Um… we’re not going to kill Hades Rex as well?” Hollywood asked. “What if we’re accidentally stumbled upon him?”

“No.” It was the only scathing reply Persephone could give them. “If you _do_ happen to face him, let him live. We only want the information.”

“All of you Agents will go in five different groups. The facility consisted in five different levels, which each group are assigned in each level. Don’t screw this up.” Persephone said, as she glared toward the immature Agents, who managed to look sheepish. The more mature Agents nodded at her order.

* * *

 

The briefing gone smoothly after that, with Friday telling each group which levels they are going into and what role they are. To their surprise, Persephone did not stay with them until the briefing over, she immediately left them, with Friday in charge with explaining the rest of the briefing.

“and that’s what you all going to do, any question?” Friday asked. “No? Good, we can—”

Suddenly Safeword raised her arm.

“Yes, Safeword?”

She looked nervous as suddenly she got all Agents’ attention, much to her discomfort.

“Um… what’s up with Persephone?”

“Huh?” Friday raised her eyebrow at this. “What do you mean?”

“What, you guys didn’t notice?” Safeword looked around her surrounding, only to received confused glances directed to her. “Seriously? You guys didn’t notice that our boss lady looked more out of her character?”

“Well, when you put it that way,” Rama said. “she does look depressing.”

“Oh yeah, she does look like that!” Daisy nodded in agreement. “What’s up with her?”

“Is she ill?” Joule asked.

“I don’t think she’s the type of person that could get sick.” Hardtack commented. “Maybe the weather outside doesn’t suit her.”

“The Tuscany’s weather is almost the same as the one in Paris. I don’t think that’s the problem.” Joule said.

“Maybe someone stole her wine again?” Hollywood guessed.

“Nope, everything still in the glass shelf. I counted it.” Fortune said.

“Why the hell you counted wine bottles?” Gat asked.

“I’m bored.”

“Maybe she just really tired seeing us.” That was suggested by Scheherazade.

“Zade, please don’t make us feel horrible than the usual.”

“Isn’t that the truth?”

“Alright, I get it. Yes, Persephone did look miserable, I had seen it. But I have no idea why and I don’t think she will appreciate it if you all still here asking her about it instead of doing the mission.” Friday said.

Safeword suddenly looked like she realized something important as she shouted. “Oh my god… OH MY GOD! Why I forgot about it?!!”

“Safeword? What’s wrong?”

“You guys know that I can hacked into Persephone’s personal data, right?” Safeword said.

Friday frowned. “You hacked her personal data?” the other Agents nodded to their resident hacker, seemingly already used with her eccentric antic.

“Other than the usual pictures of her from 1940s—”

“Damn that bitch is old.” Daisy muttered.

“—I’ve stumbled upon a very important information about her relationship.”

That make the other Agents interested—including Friday.

Safeword motioned toward the screen, where picture of Minister of Envy still shown. “Persephone used to be married with Hades Rex.”

There was a long silence in the briefing room.

The fact that both Persephone and Ministry of Envy have 'Brimstone' in their names was completely missed by the Agents. Yep, they never bothered to memorize the enemies name.

“Hades and Persephone. Talk about the beauty of mythology and bitter irony.” Scheherazade said.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> EDIT 24/04/2018: Someone from Volition had confirmed that the Minister of Envy's real name is Lucas Brimstone and he's specialized in assassination. Apparently, he was planned to appear in later sequels/DLCs but due to the lack of sales for AoM, they were cancelled. Too bad.
> 
> So it's official, (unless another member from Volition confirm otherwise) his name is Lucas and for some unknown reason, Persephone still keep her married name... (her maiden name is not Brimstone) 
> 
> What an anticlimactic...


	2. Chapter 2

Tuscany has a beautiful landscape, according to Joule—and all Agents now that they finally seen Italy in all its gorgeousness. Sadly, a LEGION facility just happens to stand in the middle of its valley, destroying the view. That and the fact there are several giant drills digging through the valley only confirms one thing.

“Well, LEGION is obviously going to claim those Dark Matters,” Rama said as she sees through her binocular. “does everyone here remember the mission?”

“Franchise Force is going to create a massive distraction on the first level to lure all troopers to us.” Hardtack claimed.

“Carnage a Trois will sabotage the drills and planted explosives on the second level.” Braddock claimed.

“We’re going to steal all of the blueprints they have on the third floor.” Safeword said. She teamed up with Lazarus and Gat.

“Wait, can we kill some of the LEGION on our way as well?” Gat asked, as he brandished his dagger.

“No. Just stick to the plan, Gat.”

“We, The Bombshells, will capture some of their scientists to be interrogated.” Rama claimed.

“And we, the Firing Squad, will find any information regarding our illusive target, Hades Rex.” Oni claimed.

“Alright, everyone got that?” all Agents nodded. “Good. Because Persephone have made it clear that we should not afford failure.”

“Kinda curious though, is there a reason why Persephone doesn’t want us to kill Hades Rex? I mean, wouldn’t it be better if we manage to cripple the Ministry of Envy by killing its leader?” Gat asked.

“Maybe she still has feeling for him.”

Everyone turned their head to Scheherazade with the looks of ‘seriously?’ and ‘what the fuck?’.

“Um, Scheherazade, I don’t think Persephone Brimstone is that kind of person,” Joule said. “I mean just look at her, she can easily kill us with her own glares if the term ‘looks can kill people’ can apply in real life.”

“Man, that would be an awesome power to have…” Kingpin mused.

“Well, she’s a Frenchwoman,” Scheherazade shrugged. “and what exactly the stereotype of every French out there?”

“Um, they have obnoxiously love of baguette?” Red Card guessed.

Joule frowned. “I love baguette too; would that make me a French?”

“She eats camembert cheese every afternoon. Camembert is French cheese, right?” Gat guessed. “It explains why she smelled like a goddamned chemical plant.”

“I ate camembert too; but I don’t think it smelled that bad.” Hollywood frowned.

“Gah!! No wonder you smelled like chemical plant too!!”

“I want to say that French like to surrender, but I don’t think that can apply to Persephone…” Daisy winced. “consider the fact that she wants to attack LEGION for destroying Paris.”

Scheherazade rolled her eyes at her fellow Agents’ answers. “Consider that Paris is well known as the ‘City of Love’, the answer should be obvious.”

That garnered a realization amongst the Agents.

“French are so passionate when it comes to love?”

“Precisely! Now that we have the answer for our boss’s current dilemma, let’s us delve to LEGION’s lair.” Scheherazade said immediately, obviously annoyed of how long it would take for the others to actually start the mission.

* * *

 

_Meanwhile, in the ARK…_

“So… we’re going against Persephone’s ex-husband?” Gremlin asked. “how does Persephone actually feel about that?”

“I don’t know. The Agents thought that she’s still has feeling for Minister of Envy Hades Rex, but I’m not sure.” Friday answered as she supervised the Agents’ activities through her computer.

“That sounds romantic! And incredibly sad… like Romeo and Juliet type of sad.” Gremlin stated.

“I’m not sure Persephone would like that comparison,” Friday said. “she doesn’t react or act different than her usual self, so I guess she just consider Minister of Envy as nothing more than another enemy?”

“Oh God… that’s even sadder than I thought.”

Friday raised her eyebrows. “I think you should stop reading those romance fictions on the web.”

Gremlin frowned, before another thought occurred to her. “Friday, are there any chance that Hades is in that facility?”

“Um, the probability is 60 %. Why?”

“Give the Agents another task. If they find him, kidnap him!”

Friday’s eyes widened as the size of saucer. “W-WHAT?”

“Come on, Persephone only said not to kill him, but she didn’t say anything about bringing him here!”

Friday looked panic. “Gremlin! Are you insane? The ARK will only become a target to LEGION and Persephone will no doubt furious if we bring him here.”

Gremlin and Friday are still in their heated conversation, which unknown to them was observed by the subject of their conversation herself, Persephone Brimstone.

The former Minister of Gluttony is unhappy overhearing the fact that her Agents are more concern of poking around on her broken marriage with Lucas instead of focusing to stop the LEGION. But she got to admit, she flattered that her Agents are thinking about her well-being since they are about to go against her ex-husband.

Even though that is completely unnecessary. Persephone had long erase any romantic feeling she had to that man.

Unfortunately, love is already far rooted in her heart and no matter of how many times she had dismiss it, there will always chances for love to bloom, warming again in her cold heart.

It’s only a matter of time after all. And there lots of ways to help it bloom again.

* * *

 

_Back again to the Agents…_

The mission had turn into a complete disaster.

The Agents had follow the order without any hitch during the first few minutes, despite the number of troopers that they had to dispose, nothing else happen to them.

That is until the Firing Squad was ambushed by a group of Envytroopers in the fifth level.

“IT’S MAYHEM!! GET THEM!!” the captain of the troopers shouted.

“What the hell?! Friday, I thought you say there are no troopers in this level!!” Kingpin exclaimed through his communicator.

 _“What? That’s not right, there weren’t supposed to be any LEGION here! The info is solid! How?”_ Friday asked.

One of the troopers smirked. “Master Hades knew your boss long before she betrayed the LEGION. He told us to expect your appearances since he knew that—”

But the trooper had no chance to complete his sentence, because suddenly a knife lodged into his throat.

“You talk too much.” Scheherazade said.

Luckily, the other Agents had finished with their respective orders as they immediately joined with the Firing Squad in eliminated the Envytroopers, leaving nothing but one Blitztroopers, who looked completely terrified at the sudden change of odds.

“Alright pipsqueak! Where is your goddamn boss?!” Gat said as he grabbed onto the poor trooper’s neck.

“His office is two blocks away from here!!”

“Thank you for your cooperation.” He then hit the trooper into a nearby wall, rendering him unconscious.

* * *

 

Lucas Brimstone is a very patient man.

But he also the most jealous and envious as well—hence his title, Minister of Envy. He remembered that time when he massacred a group of men for looking at his Persephone in the wrong way.

Wait, _his_ Persephone?

He frowned at this. Persephone already made it clear that she doesn’t want to have anything to do with him from her one final video message to him before she create MAYHEM. And it’s clear that she had stop wearing her wedding ring from that video, which broke his heart even further.

He gritted his teeth as he remembered that it was Marcus Longinus’s idea to destroy Paris, while Doctor Babylon commanded his Envytroopers to executed it, as his revenge against Persephone. So, it’s not his fault that she thought that the Paris’ event was his action!

That was the direct punishment from Morningstar. He had to choose between cutting his ties with Persephone or getting executed. His answer is obvious, but he couldn’t believe the LEGION would even dare did that. Destroying his own marriage? That sounded so wrong.

He wished that he was there with Persephone when she had to blew up Doctor Babylon’s laboratory on the first place. Maybe he—

His thought was cut short as suddenly the Agents of MAYHEM burst into his office and one of them knock him down unconscious with the butt of his weapon.

“That’s surprisingly easy.” Yeti commented as Red Card and Hardtack put Minister of Envy into a mobile containment cell.

“It is,” Joule nodded. “so… we’re going to bring him to the ARK?”

Her statement was received with collective grins from her fellow Agents.

 _“Of course, but we need to do this discreetly. Don’t want to let Persephone knows her surprise yet. Step one on our secret mission: ‘Cupid’ is complete!”_ Gremlin said from their comms.

 


	3. Chapter 3

Persephone only pinched the bridge of her nose in frustration.

“Are you saying that the facility had absolutely _nothing_?”

“Yes.” Scheherazade replied. “Unless you counted for numerous troopers and several generators, nothing valuable or important.”

 _“Qu'est-ce que vous prévoyez…_ ” The French muttered under her breath. “and what about the drills?”

“Dismantled. Everyone did the works.” Scheherazade said.

Persephone leaned back in her chair. “Good. At least there is one thing that counted as a result,” she stared back to the ninja. “and where are the other Agents?”

“At Joule’s grandma’s house,” Scheherazade answered. “Joule insisted that all of us to visit her grandma. The old lady really knows how to cook.” Her tone seems to indicate that she was smirking while explaining it.

Persephone rolled her eyes at this as she contemplates whether to send all Agents to HR or not. She decided not to, since her Agents at least done their mission first.

“Very well, thank you for the report. You are dismissed.” Persephone said.

Scheherazade bowed before she turned to walk away from the office.

“Wait.”

“Hm?” Scheherazade turned back.

For a moment, she thought that Persephone looked slightly worried about something, before said Frenchwoman returned to her usual cold demeanor. “ _Lucas Brimstone_ , had any of you encounter him?”

Slightly surprised over the fact that Persephone referred LEGION’s Minister of Envy with his real name, Scheherazade answered. “No. Hades Rex wasn’t there.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes,” Scheherazade said. “It turns out, he left a battalion of his troopers to ambush us in the fifth level.”

It’s true though.

“Cunning.”

Scheherazade wondered from the tone Persephone used, she seems to sound… impressed.

“Is that all? I have to fetch the other Agents from Joule’s grandma after all.”

* * *

The Agents really _did_ go to Joule’s grandma house—and Joule was so excited when she introduced her _nonna_ to everyone—, but only for a short lunch, before they returned to the ARK through a secret teleporter that Gremlin built so their returns would not alert Persephone or the staffs. Scheherazade was the one to give the report to Persephone, while the other Agents sneakily dragged an unconscious Minister of Envy to one of their high-security cell.

“I’m surprised that this guy is really light, considering the armor he’s wearing.” Hardtack commented, as Red Card and Yeti unceremoniously tossed the unconscious LEGION’s Minister to the cell.

“Perhaps the armor was crafted with light steel material?” Yeti pondered.

“No idea.” Red Card shrugged.

The Agents then flocked together in R+D Lab (as unsuspiciously as possible), where Gremlin and Friday were still discussing about the next step of their plan—Friday still disagree with the whole mission ‘Cupid’ thing though.

“I only hope this ‘mission’ would not get us into a whole new level of trouble…” Friday murmured.

“Think about it like this, Friday. This will be the only time where we can defeat LEGION without accidentally create collateral damage in the city. If we can somehow reunite Persephone and Hades, maybe we can even gain new allies from him?”

“Let’s hope the plan would not backfire… _horribly_.” She then turned to the Agents that stood in front of them. “Oh, you’re here. I guess we can proceed to the next step.”

The female Agents all looked excited at the prospect of having part in some sort of a grand love scheme, while the male only looked half-weirded out and half-interested.

“Oooh, this will definitely defeat all those stupid telenovelas!” Joule gushed.

“I only agree to be part of this because this would be the first time we actually get to know more about Persephone,” Rama stated. “I still can’t trust her.”

“Oh, come on, Rama. We know that you want to be part of this because you still upset about the ending from that romance Bollywood movie you watched last night.” Daisy patted the archer’s back.

“It was the most cliché death scene I’ve ever witnessed,” Rama muttered. “Let’s hope reuniting Persephone with Hades Rex can beat that stupid ending.”

“Without anyone dying I hope.”

“I suggest we trap both of them in the elevator. Or any dark room. And play some sexy music while they’re in it.” Safeword grinned like a hyena.

“Seriously Safeword? Can you suggest something that is not… you know, lead to _sexual activity_?”

“Actually, I second that!” Hollywood grinned.

“Me three!” Kingpin piped up.

They got smacked by Gat on the head.

“Alright, before we actually get down to the actual matchmaking, we need to get some info first.” Gremlin suggested.

“What kind of info?” Lazarus asked.

“Proof that they still like each other, duh!” Gremlin rolled her eyes. “I think it will be best if we send Scheherazade to dig some info from Persephone.”

Said Middle Eastern ninja nodded, along with everyone voiced their agreement over Gremlin’s choice.

“And that leave to all of us to interrogate Hades Rex.”

“I can create some truth serum.” Rama said. “Potent enough to even make him spills his deepest, darkest secrets.”

“That’s great!”

“But the side effect will make him sick, feverish like flu.” Rama explained further. “He will probably indisposition for several days.”

“Oh, okay?”

 “I can’t imagine Persephone trying to treat him when he’s sick.” Lazarus said.

“But that sounds romantic!” Joule said. “Her, treating her sick husband with such care and love…”

“and when Hades Rex in his feverish dream, kiss her… which leads them to some hot, sexy—” Safeword smirked.

“Safeword! Stop making everything sounds dirty!” The Italian woman glared.

“And I’m supposed to be the one that make those dirty, suggestive innuendos!” Daisy stated, unnecessarily. “That’s my job!”

Friday raised her eyebrow. “Okay…” she then turned to the others for more briefing.

* * *

Persephone is still in her office, smoking her cigarette, pondering on what Scheherazade had said before. No, she’s not thinking about her Agents’ inability to listen to her orders. She was thinking about her ex-husband, The Minister of Envy.

“Lucas… what are you planning right now?” she murmured.

_‘He promised, that our love is eternal.’_

Persephone looked through the countless reports she received from her many connections. Several stated that Ministry of Envy is indeed taking roots in Italy. Others stated that there were several sightings of Minister of Envy around Florence. But there are few stated of what he’s actually doing in Italy. Hades Rex is indeed the most inconspicuous person than the other LEGION’s Ministers.

_‘He let me into his secrets. I let him into mine.’_

Persephone is a little bit worried though. He was her husband and there will be no doubt that he knows her way of thinking. Her strategies. Her plans. She only hopes that her Agents can prove to be more challenging to him. They had proved that they could defeat Doctor Babylon by using his very own hubris against him.

The real question is, when the time comes. When they finally cornered Hades Rex in his own game. Amongst the corpses and ruins of his LEGION ministry.

Will she brave enough to let him die? Or brave enough to kill him herself?

_‘Until Death do us part.’_

She opened the drawer on her desk and pulled out a rather expensive velvet case. She sighed as she opened the box to reveal,

Her wedding ring. Shining and beautiful as ever.

“Why our lives must be this complicated, _mon chére_?” Persephone whispered as she pulled out the ring and stare at it for a moment.

And she silently wept.


	4. Chapter 4

Scheherazade is currently hiding behind one of Persephone’s statue in her office, spying on the Frenchwoman with half-interested and half-concerned.

“Brimstone still has feeling for him,” the ninja murmured. “this will turn out to be a really good story to tell.”

She watched as Persephone put the ring back to her drawer, wipe the tears off her face—and fix her makeup as well, and returned to her cold demeanor as if nothing had happened to her.

“Hiding emotion is useful when in battle,” Scheherazade murmured again. “but hiding it daily is worrying. Wonder what she was like when she still with her significant other?”

When Persephone walked out from her office to check on the report from one of the MAYHEM’s staff, Scheherazade came out from hiding and grabbed the wedding ring box from the drawer. She also made sure to grab a rather large photo album beside it. From the looks of it, it’s a wedding photo album.

Smiled under her mask as she looked upon her findings, Scheherazade slipped away from the office and walk back into her room to stash her stolen items. She will have to show it later at night during another one of their secret meeting.

“I wonder how’s the other doing with the interrogation.” She said to herself.

* * *

 

“For a LEGION minister, he’s surprisingly easy to cooperate.” Kingpin commented.

Indeed, when Rama administered the truth serum to Hades, he didn’t make a single move to retaliate or fighting. In fact, he seems to be calm and welcoming the serum. After the serum take effects, his eyes looked glassy and unfocused.

“Maybe he thought he will be immune to it?” Lazarus said. “The Morningstar has the reputation to give experimental serums to his Ministers after all. Reason to why they are all ageless and have freakishly super strength.”

“Hmm, that explain everything.” Fortune muttered, possibly remembered that time when Persephone threw one of her giant statue to the Mess Hall during one of her anger issues—something about how Daisy somehow managed to park an Agent vehicle inside Persephone’s office. It was so scary; the Agents had learned to steer clear immediately when Persephone is angry. And the Frenchwoman had learned to keep a supply of chocolates and any sweets to consume when she’s angry.

“Alright, LEGION scum,” Gat said as he pointed his dagger to Hades’ throat. “do you know why you are here?”

The Minister of Envy slowly shook his head.

“Good, because we want you to tell us everything you know about Persephone Brimstone. Got problem with that?”

He shook his head again.

“Good,” Gat then turned to Friday. “Alright, give him the questions.”

Friday nodded. “So, first question: what you think of Persephone?”

To everyone surprise, Hades didn’t answer but he looked completely confused as if he had no idea how to answer that. He seems to mouth something, trying to speak, but there are no sound coming out of his mouth.

“Wait a minute,” Friday’s eyes widened as she finally realized of something. “Hades Rex, a-are you mute?”

To the Agents’ shocks, Hades nodded.

“Well, that explain much,” Braddock muttered. She then turned to the others. “anyone here know ASL?”

Oni raised his hand. “I know sign language. It’s one of the mandatory skill during my time in Yakuza.”

“Alright, I’m going to free up his hands, so he can sign,” Gat said. “Oni, you’re going to translate what this guy said.” He then glared toward the still tranced Minister of Envy. “Don’t you fuckin’ dare try to escape.”

Hades nodded again, while Gat untied his hands.

“Friday, ask the question again.” Oni said.

* * *

 

While the Agents are interrogating, the others are in the Mess Hall, trying to distract Persephone.

In this case, make a lot of chaos and noises in the ARK, until the former Minister of Gluttony distracted enough to send them to Carol from HR. That, and probably make Quartermile faints as they managed to drove his vehicles around the ARK.

Only Joule seems sensible enough to try to stay away from all the chaos they make, while she done her own way to distract Persephone: asking the Frenchwoman a lot of questions about French fashion—because everyone know that Paris is regarded as the world fashion capital, and Persephone claimed to be from Paris.

All in all, it was the most stressful day for one Persephone Brimstone.

Except the time she pointed out the fact that the shoes that Joule wore is last year’s fall collection, which made her smirks as she watched the Italian woman screams in horror.

At least there’s something entertaining for today.

* * *

 

“So, what do you truly feel when Persephone decided to betray LEGION and left you?” Friday asked.

This question evoked sadness from Hades. His face suddenly turned melancholy as he signed, and Oni translated, _“She should have come to me first. I would have understood if she could explain to me why.”_

Friday took a note of this. Her eyes widened at the next questions written on her notepad. “Well, this is getting interesting…”

Curiously, Braddock peeks from her girlfriend’s note and she smirk. “Wow, who wrote _that_ question?”

“I have a suspicious feeling it’s from Safeword,” Friday said, eying toward Hades.

“Alright, Hades. Do you still have… um… sexual thoughts about Persephone?”

Kingpin, Gat, and Braddock snickered at how awkward the question was, while Fortune, Rama, and Lazarus face palmed.

Hades Rex slowly signed and even though he’s still under the influence of the truth serum, it still couldn’t stop his cheeks from turning red from of how awkward it is.

Oni too found this to be extremely awkward, as he translated, _“Yes.”_

Kingpin, Gat, and Braddock guffawed, while Fortune, Rama and Lazarus finally couldn’t help but snickering as well.

“Oh man!! That was rich!!” Kingpin stated. “Let me guess, she’s the only woman you ever have sex with?”

To their surprise, Hades Rex nodded.

“Wait, what?” Gat’s eyes widened behind his glasses. “Are you serious? I mean, you and her, married for over 50 years and you never done fooling around with anyone before her or even after she left you?!!”

_“She’s the one and only.”_ He signed, awkwardly.

“What the shit? He’s the bad guy and he can maintain his marriage better than me being married three times?” Gat was shocked.

“I guess being a LEGION’s minister, who mostly lived in underground without the world knowing it kind of limit his social activity. That and the Morningstar being a complete control freak.” Lazarus deduced.

“Ah, make sense.”

Friday looked appalled on the next few questions. “Um… why I have a feeling that all of these questions are written by Daisy and Safeword?”

“Really? Let me see.” Braddock took the note from her. “you know what, some of these questions are pretty much the same and completely inappropriate. Just ask that one final question.”

Friday nodded at her girlfriend’s suggestion. She then looked back to the Minister of Envy and asked:

“If you given a chance to make it up with her, would you like to take that chance?”

Hades nodded.

“Would you marry her again, given the chance?”

Hades nodded, firmly.

“Would you forsaken the LEGION to be with Persephone?”

He didn’t nod, but instead sign, _“I would do anything to be with her again, even if it means I have to die by their hands.”_

There was a long silence as he slumped to the ground, unconscious. The truth serum effect is over.

Fortune looked over to the note. “Um, why the last questions sounded like from a wedding vow?”

“Gremlin got it from her cousin’s wedding vow last week.”


	5. Chapter 5

“Wow, you said she still keep these?” Gremlin asked as she examined both the ring box and the photo album.

Scheherazade nodded. “And I saw her crying as she held her wedding ring. She obviously never moves on from Hades.”

“Great! Now that we found out they still have feeling with each other, the process to reunite them will be easy.”

“I don’t think matchmaking can ever be easy,” the ninja stated. “unless you are the God of Love or being extremely lucky.”

“You just need to put some effort on it,” Gremlin debated. “also, Persephone and Hades are obviously an ‘old-fashioned’ couple. Friday suggested me that we go to more classic methods of matchmaking.”

“Classic?”

“You know, like those on the old romance movies and books. I bet, the first time they probably met each other was in some Jazz club in 1940s.”

Scheherazade just simply rolled her eyes at this. “Very well. At least we’re not going to put them inside an elevator like what Safeword had suggested earlier.”

“That would be for the last resort.”

“Hm,” Scheherazade inclined her head as she spoke. “Say, how exactly happen in the interrogation with Hades Rex? Kingpin and Gat couldn’t stop laughing about it.”

“Um… we found out that the Minister of Envy is still have sexual thoughts about Persephone.”

* * *

 

_The next day,_

Almost half of the total Agents got sent to Carol from HR for the disruption they made yesterday. That, and Quartermile had been complained—rather loudly, about _three_ Agent vehicles that somehow stuck in Vehicle Bay’s lobby (no one even bothered to ask how). The more mature Agents, who were never participated in the chaos, are currently relaxing in the Mess Hall, waiting for further missions. If there is one.

They had returned Minister of Envy after the interrogation. By returned, I mean, they literally dropped him off on the garbage bin near visible LEGION lair. A patrolling Helltroopers found him unconscious after MAYHEM left several minutes later, much to their relief because their boss is unharmed and confused because… _how in the world their Minister was in the garbage bin?_

Persephone is currently away for a moment, and no one bothered to ask where she’s gone to. Or even bothered to care. She’s scary when she’s angry anyway, and they have learned not to poke on an angry Frenchwoman.

Even though Safeword had claimed that she and Gremlin are not besties, she teams up with her as they are looking through her laptop.

“How do you get his email account?” Gremlin asked.

“I hacked the LEGION network,” Safeword replied as she typed something on her laptop. “Don’t tell Persephone, but I’ve been secretly in contact with her former lieutenants from Ministry of Gluttony.”

“Really?”

 “Yup. Turns out, they’re bunch of cool guys and they are surprisingly not brainwashed LEGION loyalists.”

“Wait, _really_?”

“Nope!” Safeword grinned. “Oh, alright. There is this one person that used to served under Persephone’s Ministry of Gluttony. Before Persephone defected, he had already retired from LEGION.”

“The Morningstar allowed it?” Gremlin’s eyes widened. “I don’t even know that someone can get out from LEGION that easily.”

“I don’t know the details, but I’m still trying to find it,” She shrugged. “Alright, I sent the email containing Persephone’s schedule for today. Let’s hope he actually does something to make up with her.”

“Consider what Friday had recorded from his heartfelt confession last night, I think he’s the type of guy that would do anything win back the love of his life…”

“Gremlin, you’ve been watching those silly romcoms again?”

* * *

 

Several Envytroopers fearfully saluted as Minister of Envy walked past them to his office. He was currently in one of a more classified LEGION lair, located directly under Piazza della Signoria in Florence. He was furious, because of his troopers’ incompetence yesterday, he somehow got kidnapped by MAYHEM in his own facility. He had ordered his lieutenants to give three times more training regime to the Envytroopers as punishment. Without a single break.

The troopers are very lucky that their Minister is mute, otherwise… imagine how loud he can be if he can curse at them.

He finally able to relax as soon as he was safe in the security of his office. No one ever said that being a LEGION’s Minister is easy, unless you enjoy doing paperwork and appeasing the dreadful Morningstar. 

When he thought back of his kidnapping yesterday, he seems to recall of how strange it was for MAYHEM to kidnapped him though. They claimed that they did it without Persephone knowing it? How strange indeed, as he remembered of how hard it is for the Gluttonytroopers to try to do something sneakily without his ex-wife knowing it. He chuckled as he remembered how Persephone punished some troopers who went to the bar when they were supposed to be training.

Also, they claimed that they kidnapped him is to know if he still has feeling for Persephone? What exactly are they planning at? He can’t recall any memory after they injected him with their truth serum. He only hopes they didn’t try to get him to spew out some embarrassing memories of him with Persephone.

Which mostly about how they got caught making out in the LEGION’s broom closets. Or that time when they… did _some activity_ in one of the LEGION’s armored vehicles.

His eyes wandered to his computer, realizing that he just got an email. To his confusion, the sender was unknown to him, but the email’s contents are what surprised him. It contained a rather detailed schedule for Persephone for today, including the addresses of locations of where she will most likely to be found during each time. The email also described of how she’s currently tense and stressful for today.

_-We gave you the info. Do what you must done._

He blinked once. And then twice, as he reread the email again. It’s real.

Somehow, he got a feeling that the email was from one (or more) of MAYHEM’s Agents. It seems that they genuinely want to help him to… to… reconcile with Persephone.

As stupid as it sounds, he will accept that chance. Even if it’s from MAYHEM.


	6. Chapter 6

Florence was a fine city and cultured one as well. Despite of that, Paris is still and will always be Persephone’s favorite city. Call her biased, but Paris was her birthplace and it is within her right to appraised it endlessly. Florence would never ever try to replace Paris in the case of being beautiful city (in Persephone’s opinion)

Sadly, Paris is now a wrecked ruin while Florence is still standing.

 _‘And it’s all my ‘devoted’ husband’s fault…’_ She thought as she sipped her coffee, bitterly. Well, it is one bitter coffee though.

Persephone is currently sitting in one of the cafe in Florence. Normally she never been one to linger outside the ARK due to LEGION’s threats, but she felt that she needs one of those time to relax. And because Carol from HR had plead (even begging, with added tears too) for her to take a break for once due to her being _way_ too old. (Persephone is not pleased for having been pointed out about her age)

Thankfully, she’s in one of the LEGION-free region, so there would be no chance for her being ambushed by them. If it is, she will just have to contact her Agents to drive them out as usual.

And she thought her afternoon will be good for once, until she spotted—whilst gritted her teeth—one familiar person that she tremendously loathed and does _not_ want to see.

_“Hi.”_

Lucas Brimstone was standing right in front of her table, wearing his normal black suit (normal because he was always seen wearing that when he’s not in his LEGION’s robes, as far as she remembered) and looked… nervous?

She’s probably imagining it.

“ _Lucas_ ,” Persephone hissed. Her finger instinctively reaching for her communicator to call her Agents. “What brings you here?”

The Minister of Envy flinched at the venomous tone she used. _“I’m looking for a fresh air. Wouldn’t do well in LEGION business if I stressed out.”_ He signed.

She scowled. “Well, why don’t you get that in other place then?”

_“This is my favorite café.”_

Persephone looked even more murderous than before. “That certainly put this café as one of my most _hated_ places then.” She stood up from her seat and was about to leave, until Lucas stopped her.

 _“Please, don’t go! We need to talk.”_ He rapidly signed with one hand as the other hand is to hold Persephone’s arm.

“What needs to talk about?” She asked. “About me betraying LEGION?”

_“No. About us.”_

She frowned. “I thought I already told you that I don’t want to have anything to do with you. _Tu as brisé mon cœur…_ ”

_“I’m sorry…”_

Persephone decided not to let her anger explode in public as she mentally calmed herself. “You… destroyed my Paris, the city I hold dear in my heart. All my past and memories were there. MY FAMILY WAS THERE. And you had the audacity to murdered them!”

Surprisingly, no one seems to be bothered by the level of her voice at this point. Probably because of it was drowned with noises of a crowded and lively café.

Lucas was unable to look directly to her eyes. _“I’m so sorry about what happened to your family…”_ he signed, slowly.

She huffed at this.

 _“But… do you know how I feel about it?”_ He signed. _“I too feel hurt as well.”_

That got her attention.

 _“Do you at least know what happened after you betrayed the LEGION?”_ He asked. _“The Morningstar and the other Ministers cornered me as they thought that I was in league with you, because of our marriage status.”_

Persephone still looked miffed but didn’t say anything as she remembered how the LEGION treated the traitors.

_“They gave me options. Either I have to cut off our relationship or death.”_

“You choose the former one.” She guessed, flatly.

He nodded. _“I thought I can just simply file a divorce or something, but the Morningstar wants you to be punished, extremely.”_

“By letting you to destroy Paris.”

_“By letting Doctor Babylon leads my troopers to destroy Paris.”_

“ ** _Attends, quoi?_** ”

 _“Letting Doctor Babylon leads my troopers to destroy Paris,”_ he signed again. _“Doctor Babylon wants revenge for having his lab and him blown up by you, so the Morningstar let him to execute his revenge. And since I too had to be punished, the Morningstar prohibited me from using my own troopers and gave Doctor Babylon a total control over my Envytroopers for a week. I really have no idea that he would actually used them to attack your city…”_

At this point, Persephone was speechless. And the Frenchwoman never at loss of word before!

_“I wish I was brave enough to escape from them. But as you know, I am far too scared. I’m stuck in the circle of LEGION, while you’re free. I guess, knowing you’re safe and sound is enough to give me strength for me to survive through LEGION…”_

He then stood up. _“I’m sorry if I disturbed your time. I will leave you be.”_ He signed. _“Good bye, mi reina. I hope we will meet again, in hopefully a more pleasant situation…”_ He chuckled, voicelessly.

“Wait.”

He turned back to her again, with the looks of confusion.

Persephone is one unforgiving woman and she was infamous at that, even before her time with LEGION. But… 

“Tomorrow, at 7 pm. This café.” She stated.

Lucas tilted his head with even more confusion.

She sighed. “I was being illogical for being mad at you without knowing the story behind it,” Her eyes soften. “but, since you have apologized and supplied me with said story… I’m willing to give you a chance.”

His eyes widened, hope drawn in his face.

“Only _one_ chance,” she added. “waste it and I will make sure to have my Agents to storm your base and kill you in your sleep.”

He nodded, not bothered with her threat. At least she tries to give him a chance.

He bowed in gentlemanly manner. _“Very well, mi reina. I will see you tomorrow.”_

Persephone tries to fight an urge to smile at that and settled with rolling her eyes at him. But she thought it was cute for him to do that.

“Don’t call me that.” She frowned.

_“Why not? You’re still my queen.”_

She rolled her eyes again, but there was a tint of red in her face.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> From now on, Minister of Envy's real name is Lucas Brimstone, unless Volition claims otherwise. I'm still keeping his alias 'Hades Rex' because if Minister of Pride can have his own alias, why not Minister of Envy?

Somewhere not far from Persephone’s position, Scheherazade and Oni were spying from three tables away.

“This is getting interesting,” Scheherazade murmured. “our cold-hearted boss suddenly wants to forgive her ex-husband? I wonder how this story will leads us.”

Oni nodded. “That and the fact the LEGION Minister himself seems sincere enough to apologize.”

“We better tell the others about this. 7 pm in this very same place.” Scheherazade quietly stood from her seat.

“I’m still wondering though,” Oni mused. “is that the reason why Persephone still keeping her married name? Because like you said, she still has feeling for him?”

“Oh right, Brimstone. Which peak my curiosity over the fact that we still do not know of her _maiden name_.” she murmured. “Huh, and you all said that I have too many secrets.”

* * *

 

“…and Carol from HR wants all of us to attend a mandatory meeting about drunk driving,” Hollywood explained. “Why am I doing this again?”

“Because this whole LEGION-damned invasion thing needs more romance!” Gremlin retorted. “and because this is more interesting than sitting here and constantly making gadgets. It’s getting boring.”

“And it’s kinda fun too!” Daisy piped up. “I mean, we never thought that Persephone is the type of person who has a sappy love story and matchmaking is always fun—when you’re not its victim.”

That is until Friday announce something through the ship-wide intercom. **“Agents, Claymore wants to know why his family cannon ended up on the ARK’s laundry room, inside of a washing machine…”**

Every Agents looked at Hollywood.

“Wasn’t me!”

**“And to Agent Gat, Agent Rama, and Agent Fortune, please report to the Squad Bay. You have a mission.”**

“It’s about fucking time!” Gat exclaimed.

After Gat, Rama, and Fortune left to the Squad Bay, Scheherazade and Oni walked to the group of the remaining Agents.

“Tomorrow, 7 pm at Café la Volpe Bianco.” She reported.

“Huh?” everyone looked confused, while Joule gasped as she seems to recognize the place.

“ _Mio Dio!_ That’s one of the most romantic café in Florence! My father used to tell me that his first date with my mother was in there.” Joule stated.

“Persephone planned to meet Hades at that café, tomorrow.” Oni confirmed.

Safeword looked up from her laptop. “True. Minister of Envy suddenly updated his tomorrow schedule.” When every Agents looked to her weirdly, she sighed. “I hacked his computer, remember?”

“So what should we do next?” Braddock asked.

“We spy on their date?” Red Card suggested, helpfully. “We can hide around the area, pretend that we’re just some random tourists, and watch them. More importantly, make sure we’re not getting caught by them.”

“That’s a pretty good idea.” Braddock said. “It’s like espionage.”

“Thanks! I’ve got that from the latest episode of ‘Butterfly Princesses’!”

* * *

 

Persephone returned to the ARK, feeling slightly conflicted. On one hand, she feels annoyed at her ex-husband’s silliness before, but on the other hand, she feels… strange. As if she was glad that he at least apologized, but there was this undescribed feeling that she can’t figure it out or she had merely forgotten about it long ago, but finally resurface.

Her office is still intact, thankfully. She had dreaded that one of her Agents may had decided to crash into her office while she was away.

Her relief suddenly ebb away when her eyes landed on her desk, with opened drawer. She immediately rushed to it, panic visible in her face as she frantically ransacked through her drawer. When the items she tried to find are not there anymore, her face paled like one of her marble statues.

“My ring… My photo album…” she gasped.

For the first time, she feels weak.

* * *

 

At the same time, a group of Agents were huddled up around Gremlin as she flipped a page from Persephone’s photo album.

“Ooh, look at her wedding dress!” Joule squealed. “it must be designed by one of the top fashion designers back in that time!”

“It looks _expensive_ …” Braddock muttered. “I’m not surprised. Persephone is always the type of person who enjoy the lavish life.”

“She looked very happy in the picture,” Lazarus pointed out. “her marriage with Hades must be the biggest happiness she ever achieved in her life.”

The others nodded at that statement. It’s very rare for them to see Persephone that happy after all. Joule continued complimenting the dresses that were wore by Persephone’s bridesmaids and some of the women in the wedding reception. It was fascinating to hear.

“Speaking of bridesmaids, who were they?” Kingpin commented as he pointed at the five ladies that posed in the photo. “I didn’t know Persephone has friends before.”

“It could be her relatives,” Lazarus said. “two of those ladies looked related to her.”

“Oh yeah, what about the words that written above that picture though? What those it said?”

That grabbed the attention of the other Agents. They all read the neat cursive writing above each person’s picture.

“ _‘Died of old age, died from car accident, died of pneumonia, died of old age, died of cancer’?_ Uh, I think these are what had happened to her bridesmaids. They already passed away.”

“And Persephone still lives,” Braddock murmured. “come to think of it, I think it’s kinda sad to outlived all of your friends and your relatives.”

“It is.” Joule nodded, sagely.

Suddenly, Friday announced through the intercom. From the tone she used, she sounded scared. **“Agents? Persephone is currently mad right now. She threatens—I mean, asked if you see her photo album and her ring box. She looked like she ready to kill all of us if those two items aren’t found immediately.”**

A second later, the intercom was taken over by Persephone.

**“Agents. As what Friday had said, my precious items are currently missing from its place. If you have any knowledge of its whereabouts or the one whose responsible, report to my office immediately. If you found my photo album…”**

There was a sound like growling from the intercom, which scared all the staff and Agents in the ARK.

**“… I will murder you if you dare view it.”**

After the major threatening announcement, everyone looked to Scheherazade, frightened.

The middle-eastern ninja still looked calm. “Don’t worry, I will return the items before Persephone could discover us. I only need _more_ distractions though.”

Hollywood sighed. “I guess that would be _another_ trip to Carol from HR soon…”


	8. Chapter 8

So of course, after another whole damned mess that her Agents seems to enjoy making of it in the ARK (they managed to teleport the ARK _into_ Florence Cathedral), Persephone found her photo album and her ring box back in the drawer. Much to her confusion _and_ to her suspicion as well. She fully suspected Scheherazade for stealing and returning the items back.

“What the hell is happening here?” She murmured to herself. It is clear that her Agents might have plotting for something. She just can’t guess whether they are going to go against her or trying to prank her. She had examined both items and nothing seems off from them nor tempered into them, to her relief.

The reports she got from her usual contacts referred that the Ministry of Envy’s activity had gone diminish in Tuscany, there are patrols around Florence but they’re surprisingly not threatening the locals or making ruckus around the city. Nothing major from them, other than several minor troubles they caused by extorting money from local stores—the Agents had dealt them with no trouble.

Surprisingly, all the Envytroopers are staying away from the location where she will meet Lucas at 7 pm later. None of them even step foot around the duration of 800 meters from said area.

 _‘Make sense. Lucas wouldn’t want to get caught conversing with the enemy,’_ She thought. _‘Neither do I.’_

And before she could meet her supposedly ex-husband, there’s no way she’s going to let her Agents see her with one of the LEGION’s Minister. She need to think up of some random mission to keep them busy while she meets her damned ex-husband.

* * *

 

 **“All Agents, please report immediately to the Squad Bay. There is an all group mission from Persephone.”** Friday announced from the intercom.

Oni raised his eyebrow at this. “An all group mission? Sounds suspicious.”

“Persephone might make that up to distract us,” Rama explained after her, Fortune, and Gat returned from their supposed mission. “she probably doesn’t want us to be around when she goes to her… appointment.”

“You mean, _date_?” Fortune piped up. “Seriously, Persephone will meet her ex-husband in a supposedly romantic café in Florence—according to Joule—at night, where—again according to Joule—is the most romantic time.”

“Wow, what’s with the enthusiasm, Fortune?” Kingpin asked.

“It’s the first time for us to learn that Persephone Brimstone can capable of loving someone.” She replied.

“Also, you guys noticed that she still _keeping_ her husband’s name?” Fortune added. “Safeword told me that Brimstone is the Minister of Envy’s name, not Persephone’s.”

“Wow.” Kingpin and Oni reacted—although Oni's tone is still monotonous.

“I know right? I mean, what is Persephone’s maiden name anyway?”

* * *

 

Rama was correct. Their ‘mission’ was truly a distraction for them (they are tasked to destroy several LEGION’s computer satellites, which Safeword told them that LEGION _don’t_ have that kind of thing). Luckily, it served as an excuse for them to be outside the ARK and to be able to hide around the café where Persephone will be there.

Joule insists that they wear something less flashy, but still stylish. So, they ended up wearing all black clothes to blend in with the night environment, with Yeti being painted in black color because he can’t wear shirt without making him feel too hot. Daisy begrudgingly left her rollerblades to avoid making any noises, because everyone knows how sucks she is when it comes to stealth. Lazarus was given a tall black coat to cover her tattooed skin—not exactly tattoo, more like mutated nanites skin. The others have no problem dressing in black casuals, except Kingpin who complained that he preferred they need to add yellow for the outfit.

Safeword insists to hide under one of the café’s table, with Gat and Lazarus protecting her, due to her constant paranoia. The Franchise Force sat on the table near the balcony, pretended to read newspapers (Fortune had made pairs of holes in each paper, inconspicuous enough). The Firing Squad were on the café second floor, pretended to order some coffee (Scheherazade a little bit disappointed that Café la Volpe Bianco doesn’t serve tea). The Bombshells were on sitting outside, three tables away from where Persephone’s point (although Joule insist that she built some sentry to spy on them instead, but Red Card argued that Persephone can recognize her sentry anyway). Carnage a Trois were the only group who hid inside the bushes outside the café (and the only group who wore camouflage suit, Braddock’s suggestion).

**“Man of Iron to everyone. Man of Iron to everyone. The Hell Queen is spotted approaching to the location. Over.”**

**“Hollywood, the fuck man? What’s with the codename? We already in codenames! No need more of that.”**

**“Come on, Kingpin. This is fun! This is not MAYHEM’s mission, so I was like, ‘how about another codename for non-MAYHEM’?”**

**“That seriously fucked up… but okay. As long as I got to be called ‘King Royale’!”**

**“Deal!”**

Safeword rolled her eyes after hearing Hollywood’s conversation with Kingpin via comms. **“Guys! Stop playing around. We don’t want Persephone discovers us here!”**

 **“Hold on,”** Daisy suddenly spoke. **“Hollywood, did you just nicknamed Persephone ‘The Hell Queen’?”**

 **“Hmm… I didn’t realize the movie actor Roderick Stone knows some Greek Mythology, because that nickname sounds very fitting.”** Scheherazade quipped.

 **“Hey! Greek myths are common,”** Hollywood argued. **“also, I used to be part of some Greek myth-based movie. I played as Hermes. You know? ‘The King of Spartan’? That was the time where I really have to study more about Greek myths to understand my role.”**

 **“That make sense,”** Joule said. **“but isn’t that the movie that spectacularly failed on its first night premiere?”**

**“ _*sigh*_ Colossal big flop. Yep…”**

There was silence, until Yeti spoken, **“So… Hollywood, what is the nickname you give to Hades Rex?”**

**“Oh, he got ‘The Chicken Man.’”**

Rama rolled her eyes. **“Let’s just call him ‘The Hell King’ to make it more appropriate, because he’s approaching Persephone right now.”**

* * *

 

“I am fully expecting you to not come here _at all_.” Persephone sneered.

The Minister of Envy only smirks as he took a sit at her table, making him directly facing to her.

 _“And I expecting you to wear something nice for tonight.”_ He signed.

She just scoffed. “My Agents will find it suspicious if they see me dressed _differently_.”

_“They will just simply gawk at your beauty.”_

“Wouldn’t that make you angry to my Agents for gawking at me?” She smirked in return as she saw Lucas’s face paled.

_“You’re still devious as ever.”_

“And you’re still infuriating as ever,” She said as she sipped her martini that she ordered a minute before her ex-husband’s arrival.

_“And yet, you’re still my beautiful queen. A queen to my heart.”_

* * *

 

 **“Is that really what he said to Persephone, Oni?”** Rama asked through her comms, while Joule squealed quietly besides her and Kingpin.

 **“It is. Apparently, Hades Rex has way with words.”** Oni confirmed, uneasy over the fact that he’s the only one that had to translate every sign that the Minister of Envy used to communicate to Persephone.

 **“Man, he’s smooth,”** Kingpin commented. **“Not sure if Persephone can get flattered from his words.”**

* * *

 

“What did I tell you about calling me that?” Persephone frowned.

_“My apologize, but you know very well that I can’t stop complimenting you, right?”_

She didn’t say anything as she simply looked away from him. Lucas silently chuckled as he spotted a blush graced on her face but decided to not point that out.

He knows full well of how easily enamored Persephone is around him, no matter how many times she tries to hide it or deny it.

* * *

 

 **“Did you see that?”** Hardtack said as he spied through his newspaper. **“Did Persephone just blush on that?”**

 **“You’re right!”** Joule gasped. **“I can’t believe she can actually got flattered from his words.”**

 **“And I can’t believe how strangely enthusiastic we are with all of this…”** Braddock muttered.

 **“Agree.”** Scheherazade said.

* * *

 

For the next few minutes, Persephone and Lucas ended up awkwardly chatting about each other—minus details about MAYHEM and LEGION, because that would make it even more awkward. They also ended up ordering some dinner as well, and some wines to accompany it.

They agreed that Chianti tasted favorably to their rather foreign tongues—because Persephone preferred Pinot Noir, while Lucas preferred Graciano.

Despite the fact they each stand in different sides of the LEGION vs MAYHEM war, they found themselves surprised that they can engage in a polite, civilized conversation without in need of hurting each other or contacting backups. And they seem to forget any of the things surroundings them as they talked more.

For a moment, they acted like they are a couple.

The Agents that hide around them, watched with fascination. They couldn’t help but smiled as they saw how intimate Persephone and the Minister of Envy had become in one night. Of how relaxed she became as she spoke passionately, recounting of their favorite moments when they used to be together. Of how Hades Rex listened to each of her words, inventively as everything she said are very amusing to him. He spoke too, by signing, about how he remembered each other quirks—like how Persephone will devour anything on the fridge when her Gluttonytroopers refused to obey a simple command, and how Lucas will chew the fabric of his sleeve when he’s agitated.

She laughed as he told her the funny stories around LEGION, describing the ridiculousness each Ministers posed when the Morningstar are not looking. He voicelessly laughed when she in return, told the chaotic things her Agents had done in the ARK and funny things they did during their own missions.

(The Agents looked embarrassed at that, but they decided it was indeed funny if they thought about it)

 _“It’s getting late,”_ He signed as he realized that the café is about to close in a few minutes and they are the only ones in here now. _“I should probably return to my Lair.”_

She smirked. “And which Lair is that?”

 _“Oh, I’m sure you can figure that out. You’re smarter than you look, mi reina,”_ Lucas said. _“and I’m sure you preferred to find out yourself than letting me blurt out to you.”_

“Ah, you remembered,” Persephone smiled. “I always love challenge.”

He stood up from his seat. _“I really enjoyed our night, Persephone. How about another meeting?”_

“Another?” Persephone asked. “When and where would that be?” there was unmistakably excitement sounded from her tone, but it was subtle enough that only Lucas can recognize it.

 _“7 pm, at Piazza della Repubblica,”_ he signed. _“My informants told me that there’s going to be a festival of sort in there. Don’t worry about my Ministry. I’ll just… send them to extract Dark Matter underneath Florence Duomo. Make sure you send your best Agents to stop them. Your Agents are… unique.”_

“What is this? A LEGION Minister complimenting the Agents of MAYHEM? I’m shocked,” Persephone smirked. “I can simply tell them, but then again I never bother to give them my approval.”

 _“That does sounds like you,”_ he then leaned closer to plant a kiss on her cheek, causing her to blush—she was too stunned to try to hide it. _“Have a pleasant night, mi reina.”_

* * *

 

 **“Anyone got that?”** Safeword asked. **“Based on Oni’s translation: it’s 7 pm at Piazza della Republicca.”**

 **“We may also need to prepare to ambush the LEGION’s troopers at Florence Duomo.”** Scheherazade pointed out.

 **“This is getting more interesting.”** Lazarus commented.

 **“I only wish we need more action. Spying on two old people on a date still sounds boring.”** Gat lamented.

 **“Fine, you’ll get to attack the LEGION tomorrow anyway.”** Safeword stated.


	9. Chapter 9

_Have a pleasant night, mi reina…_

For some unknown reason, that statement still rang in her head as she returns to the ARK. Persephone couldn’t wrap up of what exactly just happened. During the first minute, she still scowled at him. And the next few minutes, she somehow able to chat with him without a single animosity between them. And it was indeed a pleasant conversation at that. Heck, the meeting somehow escalated with him invited her to meet him at Piazza della Repubblica tomorrow night.

 _‘He didn’t even talk about LEGION or trying to dig some information about MAYHEM,’_ she mused. _‘he was simply talking and asking about my interest as if it was more important than the Morningstar’s main goal.’_

What just happened to her? Years ago, she was clearly angry toward her ex-husband’s action at her beloved Paris. But now? After she heard his side of story and allowed him to try to get to know her again, she had lost all her rage at him! How is it possible for years of anger can suddenly gone in one night?

She only agrees about one thing though. Lucas Brimstone is still one infuriating man.

* * *

 

“So? What happened next?” Gremlin asked, enthusiastically.

“Hades Rex then told Persephone the story about how Marcus Longinus accidentally tripped over a banana peel,” Scheherazade recalled. “which I have to admit it was funny. Hardtack still laughing about that.”

Gremlin smiled at the thought of her secret crush. “So, they just exchanged stories? That’s sounds nice. At least they’re not bickering.”

The Middle Easterner nodded at that. “You were correct. It was indeed interesting to watch Persephone reconciling with her ex-husband. I am looking forward to what happen next to both of them.”

“Man, I wish I was there to see it,” Gremlin sighed. “Claymore had been requesting for more weapon mods and gadgets for his arsenal. I don’t think I can come with you guys for tomorrow night. I heard Florence is going to have some firework festival tomorrow.”

“Firework festival?” Scheherazade murmured. “there are going to be a lot of civilians in the Square then.”

“And a lot of opportunity to make their date even better,” Gremlin said. “but what is this I heard about a plan for Florence Duomo?”

“Hades Rex planned to send his Ministry after something in that place as a distraction for them. Like Persephone when she tried to send us on some random mission to distract us from her meeting with him.”

“They think alike. I wonder if Minister of Envy treats his Ministry like Persephone treats us?”

“I don’t doubt if he did.” Scheherazade said, as she sipped her tea (Gremlin had no idea when she made that tea and how she can sip it without the need to remove her mask) “Do you have any idea for tomorrow?”

“Well, Friday and I had been thinking that you guys can create some sort of commotion during Persephone’s date. In disguise of course! Like, the guys pretending to flirt Persephone right in front of Hades Rex, or the girls seduce him in front of her. I don’t know how to extend that idea, though it does sounds good at that time. Mixer had suggested that we somehow make some sort of ‘accident’ that will cause both Persephone and Hades to get stuck in a room together,” Gremlin explained. “which suspiciously sounds similar with Safeword’s idea…”

“What is it with people and the idea of trying to trap both Persephone and her ex-husband together?” Scheherazade mused.

“I think because of the idea that both of them will end up having sex in there.” Gremlin frowned. “Everyone’s being pervert these days.”

* * *

 

It was indeed a pleasant night, as everyone in the ARK had retreated to their respective rooms. Persephone has her own room in the ARK, but its door is hidden behind the wall of her office, and no one—not even Safeword’s expertise in hacking can able to find it. Heck, no one even knows that Persephone has her own secret chateau somewhere in Monaco!

Contrary to what her Agents believed, her room is rather simple. No expensive decoration, no classic paintings, no marble statues that Relic endlessly had to procure. But the wardrobe, the bed, and the desk are adorned with beautiful carvings and are high-priced, so that’s that. And those are pretty much what’s inside Persephone’s room. Decades ago, she might have preferred to a more luxurious things to fill her room, but then again it _was_ decades ago. She’s too old for that now. She now preferred things that can make her feels comfortable than the ones with too much aesthetic.

“ _Have a pleasant night_ ,” She snorted at that as she changed from her usual black dress to her sleepwear (which is still black). “as if I have enough sleep with LEGION’s threats all over the world. _Quelle blague._ ”

But despite her statement earlier, she was fast asleep.

* * *

 

Unlike his ex-wife, Lucas is always having trouble with sleeping, despite of his old age. Mostly because of the paperworks, LEGION planning, target papers, and nightly LEGION’s practice—which he found to be completely useless because his troopers are apparently incompetent buffoons. He resorted to drink a bottle of wine just to get him drunk enough to put him to sleep.

 _‘I wonder if Persephone is having a good night sleep?’_ He thought. He remembered that Persephone was just like him too before she defected from the LEGION. She and he used to always been busy with their Ministries, which probably the main reason why he and her had not enough time to be with each other back then. The Morningstar demanded too much from his Ministers.

 _‘Maybe that’s why she never even bothered to come to me first. She must have thought that I am too attached to the LEGION, due to our busy schedules.’_ He mused, sadly. Persephone always distrust to everyone, including him and he only gain a slight bit of trust from her due to their marriage—which is probably already gone the moment she betrayed the LEGION.

He wondered if he can make Persephone to fully trust him now that she’s not bound to LEGION. But that would probably take a lot of time and he’s not sure if he or Persephone can live long enough for that to happen. Nothing last forever after all. And he’s sure that Persephone is still have few hatreds directed to him after their da— _meeting_.

He hopes that the firework festival tomorrow can at least help him ease up Persephone’s loathing toward him.


	10. Chapter 10

_Persephone had thought that she had been more confused than she ever thought possible about her recent feelings toward her ex-husband. Apparently, she can be more wrong than that. Her tonight dream proved that._

_Normally, she often dreamed of her hometown before it imploded to smithereens, of her lovely childhood memories, of her family back in Paris (before they too imploded along with Paris), and mostly about how MAYHEM finally beat the Morningstar and LEGION once and for all._

_So dreaming about her ex-husband in her room, smiling gently as he stripped off from his clothes, while she herself was only covered in her own blanket is not the kind of dream she expected tonight. Not that she has anything_ against _that though._

 _“Mi reina? Is something wrong?”_ _Lucas asked—signed after he made his way to her bed._ _“Am I making you uncomfortable? Your body stiffened when I touch you.”_

_“You’re not supposed to be here,” She stated. But the tone she used is not malice, it’s more to worry. “you’re not supposed to love me again. After what I did to you. After how I treated you…”_

_Lucas only reaction to her was simply inclined his head slowly toward hers. “I am unable to hate you. It’s my fault that you hate me so much,” he captured her lips with his. “I was yours before, just like you were mine. I am nothing without you.”_

_Persephone looked even more conflicted of whether she should continue to hate him even more or forgive him. He looked sincere enough that it pained her to thinking to loathe him._

_“I wish I can love you again,” she spoke, wistful. “but I can’t. I know that you’re not the one who destroyed Paris… but something in me prevent me from loving you again.”_

_ “You still hate me then?” _ _he signed, sadly._

_“No…” her face leaned closer again to his face. “I hate_ myself _for hating you on the first place. That’s why I can’t love you again. I still can’t forgive myself.”_

_She’s the one to kiss him. She’s the one who pulled his body to be closer to hers._

_She missed this. She missed his warmth. She missed their intimate moments._

_She missed him._

With a sudden jolt, she gasped as she woke from her sleeps. She realized she had been sweating a lot from that dream she was having.

Her eyes landed on half empty bottle of wine that stood on her nightstand.

“Maybe I shouldn’t drink alcohol before bed.” She muttered.

* * *

 

The next morning, Rama was cleaning up her chemical set when Fortune came to ask her.

“Say, Persephone acted strange this morning,” the sky pirate asked. “you’ve got something to do with that?”

Rama gave her a smirk. “Oh, I don’t know. I may or may not be the one who concocted some aphrodisiac and asked Scheherazade to spike her bottle of wine with it last night.”

Fortune looked almost to burst to laugh at that statement. “No wonder our boss looked so agitated like cats on mating season.”

“I was a little bit worried about actually giving it to Persephone though,” Rama said. “Aphrodisiac is dangerous to people 60 years old above, so I told Scheherazade to spike it with the tiniest dosage as possible.”

“Daisy told me that she heard the sounds of moaning and gasping somewhere inside Persephone’s office last night,” Fortune said. “I think it worked.”

Rama raised her eyebrow. “What was Daisy doing up last night?”

“She claimed that she had trouble sleeping,” Fortune snorted at that. “I guessed that she’s probably just from Hollywood’s room last night.”

* * *

 

Since it was clear that the Minister of Envy will send his troopers to Florence Duomo, also known as Cathedral di Santa Maria del Fiore—for distraction purpose, Persephone tasked her Agents to investigate said Cathedral—also to give them something to do distract them for the duration of her ‘meeting’ with the LEGION’s minister tonight. To avoid even more suspicion, she chooses the Bombshells team to investigate the Cathedral (because Joule had share it to everyone that she want to see the Cathedral again), while for the other Agents, she just simply sends them to investigate some historical monuments.

“Um, we’re going to investigate… Medici Palace?” Hardtack asked. “I know that Persephone send us there to distract us, but seriously; a fucking historical museum?”

“Look at the bright side; at least Persephone didn’t send us to investigate some random Florence graveyard like what she tasked the Firing Squad.” Fortune explained.

“No wonder Kingpin had been complained all morning.” Hollywood mumbled.

But of course, every Agents know the drill. They simply ignored their missions and quickly made their way to the famous city square in Florence, obviously in disguises. Except the Bombshells, they _must_ investigate the supposed Cathedral where Ministry of Envy will attack, and Persephone will be skeptical if she finds out none of her Agents do their missions.

“I want you all to record whatever happen between Persephone and Hades Rex!” Joule cried. “I don’t want to miss any romance.”

“ _Mach dir keine Sorgen_ , Joule. Fortune’s Glory has built in camera, Hollywood always has his phone camera with him all the time, Kingpin will bring his camera—something about wanting to snap some picture of _schöne Mädchen_ of Italy, and Safeword will probably hack some security cameras from around the area.” Red Card explained.

“Oh, that seems alright,” Joule mused, before she turned to mentioned Agents, sharply. “Make sure you record their kiss!!”

“Come on, Joule! We know that both Persephone and Hades Rex are good to each other now, but I don’t think they will just share a kiss immediately!” Kingpin complained.

“I wouldn’t mind if it leads to some casual sex though.” Safeword smirked.

Joule frowned at the ginger-haired hacker. “You really need to go to some rehab…”

“And going outside. Sitting in front of computer all day wouldn’t do any good to your health, Safeword,” Rama said. “and before you make any complain, yes, hacking into our personal data is not good for your health either.”


	11. Chapter 11

Gat insisted that he too want to come with the Bombshells to investigate Florence Cathedral. Mostly an excuse to murder more Helltroopers if they encounter one. And because Safeword had told him that he will get that chance anyway.

“Gat, if we find the LEGION around this area, please don’t rush toward them just yet,” Rama chided. “we need to get some information from them first.”

“I can still get some info from killing them.” Gat argued.

“Yes, we are aware that’s your _normal_ method for interrogation. You told us about that already.” Joule muttered.

“What about Red Card? He can be as aggressive as I am when facing the LEGION scums. He can kill them by simply headbutting them!”

“Hey, don’t bring me to this!” Red Card complained. “I only did that when they insulted Ruedesheim!!”

And before Gat can retort back, Rama immediately cut off. “Sshh!! Look! There’s a group of LEGION over there!”

“Where?”

Joule tilted her head to see better. “They’re standing near that peanut stand and… is it just me or did I see them try to sell some peanuts?”

The other Agents are gaping over that.

“What _exactly_ Hades Rex ordered them to?” Gat asked to no one particular.

* * *

 

_Meanwhile at the Piazza della Repubblica, where the rest of the Agents are hiding around the city square…_

“This is not an ordinary firework festival,” Scheherazade pointed out. “this is a video game festival…”

“I can’t believe it!” Kingpin stated. “this is ASSASSIN’S CREED FESTIVAL!!”

“Oh man! Just like the one on Final Fantasy XV DLC!” Hollywood exclaimed.

“Why a video game needs their own festival?” Braddock asked.

“Because… the best Assassin’s Creed installment, Assassin’s Creed 2 happens to set in Florence,” Hollywood explained, solemnly. “and in Venice as well.”

“I can’t believe I’m stuck with a guy like you.” Fortune rolled her eyes.

“Thank you.”

“That’s not a compliment.”

“To me, it is.”

“Okay, can someone just please shut up! I spotted Persephone a minute ago and her position is quite close to us,” Safeword declared. “we need to hide, NOW!”

* * *

 

Said Frenchwoman looked annoyed as she realized that the firework festival that her ex-husband mentioned last night is actually a convention for some popular video game. But they do plan for some firework display, so it’s still counted as firework festival.

But then again, she remembered that Lucas Brimstone is actually an avid gamer so that info should not be a surprise for her. If her Agents are observant enough, they will see some stuff from Ministry of Envy are referenced from Assassin’s Creed series—which is ironic considered the Ministry themselves are expert of assassinations. (some of the special trained Helltroopers wear hidden blades as well)

She smiled as she remembered a fond memory of her and him played video games together when they’re not busy with each other’s activities. Back when the LEGION was still scheming and preparing for the first phase of the Devil’s Night and when they were still able to meet each other.

Persephone wondered why she still remembered that.

The festival is beginning to get denser with people as the time goes by. Persephone looked at the nearby clock near the square’s fountain with fed-up looks. It’s obvious that Lucas would not come or simply late—it somehow gave her a strange feeling of downcast.

_‘Why he’s not coming?’_

The thought quickly diminishes as she finally spots her ex-husband coming to her place—again she confused of why that gave her a feeling of relief and… joy? At this point, Persephone is simply annoyed of how turmoil her emotions right now. She’s definitely going to sort this thing after this stupid meeting with Lucas is over.

The Ministry of Envy looked tired, but once he spotted his ex-wife, he immediately looked happy as he greeted her with his smile.

“You’re late.” Persephone stated, but there’s no hint of animosity in her tone—which is the closest thing she could get to be kind.

_“Forgive me, mi reina—”_

She sighed. “Don’t. Call. Me. That.”

He grinned. _“But it’s a fitting nickname for you.”_

She snorted at that. “As if I looked like a queen.”

_“But you are.”_

“No.”

Lucas shrugged. _“Very well…”_ he then smirked as he added. _“Mi **diosa**.”_

Persephone then proceed to glowered toward him.

* * *

 

 **“He just said ‘my goddess’…”** Oni reported through the comm.

 **“Thank God, Joule isn’t here. Otherwise my eardrums will explode from her constant squealing.”** Fortune stated.

 **“Hold on!”** Daisy exclaimed. **“Has anyone wondering how in the world Persephone able to understand sign language without a translator?”**

 **“Daisy, that’s the stupidest question I ever heard,”** Braddock deadpanned. **“She once _married_ to him. She should have known about it, otherwise how in the world she can able to understand her own husband?”**

**“Oh right.”**

**“The real question is: can she understands Spanish too? Considering Hades Rex came from Spain, he and her must have once visited his family.”** That question surprisingly came from Hollywood.

 **“Maybe she can.”** Fortune said, although she and the others were still stunned over how observant Hollywood can be.

“And I once asked when Hollywood would take off his ‘mask’…” Oni muttered under his breath after he put aside his communicator.

* * *

 

The Agents decided to try to blend through the crowds while spying on Persephone. And secretly thankful for the number of costumed tourists for the sake of the festival.

 _“I’m still wondering why you aren’t dressing up for the occasion?”_ Lucas asked.

“You want me to give my Agents heart attack for seeing me in a costume?” Persephone quipped.

 _“That will surely help my Ministry a lot…”_ he smirked.

She proceeds to playfully hit the back of his head, while he soundlessly laughed—and she’s not angry.

“ _Bouffon!_ ” she remarked.

Lucas still laughing.

She sighed. “You’re infuriating.”

_“I love you too.”_

Persephone didn’t reply to that. Her face looked unreadable, but Lucas can guess that she’s trying to not blush from his statement.

He truly enjoys spending time with her.

* * *

 

The festival is bright with colors and light. Everyone seems to be blissfully unaware over the fact that there are the leader of MAYHEM and the LEGION minister, walking among them as if they are normal tourists on side-seeing tour around Florence. There are several teenagers and college students on the festival, wearing costumes from the game franchise, and completely ignoring both Persephone and Lucas, who were passing them.

Hollywood and Kingpin ended up had to blend in by playing some festival’s game in one of the booth, while the others were either blending with a group of costumed visitors or simply interacting on one of the available merchandise stands. Hardtack and Braddock decided to compete with each other over an arm-wrestling contest that was situated in on a booth a few blocks away from Persephone, while Yeti was forced to join them as well.

Persephone would not admit it openly, but she really enjoying spending time with her ex-husband. Lucas had managed to win her a rather large doll of a purple teddy bear on one of the game booth—Persephone wondered of how she would able to smuggle it into the ARK without her Agents and her staff knowing it. They watched a performer tried to do Leap of Faith on nearby haystack—which failed spectacularly, said person got his entire bones broken and immediately rushed to the hospital. They are amused of how cheerful the costumed children when they try to play tag. They bought some candies and avoid any fried foods—which is kind of make sense due to their ages, they can’t consume unhealthy stuff. Also because of Persephone’s eating habits.

The only thing they do now is to wait for the firework show, the primary reason of them being in this festival on the first place.

Unfortunately, they don’t need to wait for long.

“MIO DIO! SOMEONE ACCIDENTALLY SET THE FIREWORKS!!” One of the festival crew screamed as one and two explosive pyrotechnics launched to the night sky and exploded.

After hearing that, everyone began to panic. The Agents quickly looked alarmed as they assess the situation.

 **“The fireworks were guarded and no single stuff that can trigger fire were placed near it,”** Safeword deduced. **“someone must have sabotaged it.”**

 **“Why would anyone want to sabotage it? Maybe someone is getting impatient from waiting.”** Hollywood commented.

Scheherazade looked around the chaotic surrounding.

**“Anyone sees Persephone? I could not find her among these distressed crowds.”**

* * *

 

The moment the first batch of fireworks were exploded to the night sky, Lucas immediately pulled Persephone to him.

_“Come with me.”_

“Why should I?” Persephone asked, immediately suspicious. “You set that fireworks?”

_“A distraction. Come.”_

She didn’t budge from her position as she glared toward him. “What. Are. You. Doing?”

He simply pointed her toward the crowds that either try to run away from the festival or trying to protect themselves. _“Your Agents are spying on us.”_

Persephone’s eyes widened as she found several of her Agents are indeed among the crowds.

“Why are they—I will have a word from them the next morning.” Persephone gritted her teeth.

 _“No. Don’t.”_ He gently holds her hand with his. _“Let them unaware that you know they’re here. We will just go to another place without their knowledge.”_

“How do you know my Agents were spying on us?”

 _“They’re not that subtle. Also, they spied on us during our first meeting on the café last night too.”_ He explained.

Persephone simply groaned at that. “My senses must have getting dull… I didn’t even realize my Agents were with us last night.”

_“It’s okay, mi reina. After all, we are getting old.”_

“True.” She sighed.

Lucas led her to a quiet park a few distances away from the now chaotic festival. No one on the festival, even the Agents realized that they had gone.


	12. Chapter 12

It was probably the strangest turn of event, because now the Bombshells and Gat are currently chatting with a group of peanut-selling LEGION—who surprisingly friendly.

“You know, normally I would have just stab these guys,” Gat whispered to Red Card. “and I still want to, but I decided to just wait and watch.”

“You’re not the only one who want to decapitate these guys too.” Red Card admitted.

Rama and Joule did not have the same killing intent as the guys, but they are still as alert as them. Although Joule can easily be nice if she wants to.

“So why were you tasked to… selling stuff?” Joule asked after several of the LEGION naively introduced themselves to MAYHEM—Gat just simply rolling his eyes at their complete stupidity.

One of the Helltroopers shrugged. “Master Hades was disappointed with our effort during one of the late assassination mission. This is our punishment.”

“Your punishment is to sell peanut?” Rama raised her eyebrow.

“No, we were punished to do some menial labors,” a Blitztrooper answered. “this is one of those. There are others that are tasked to clean up the Lair’s lavatories. We’re just lucky.”

“I’m curious. Why you guys aren’t attacking us?” Rama asked again. “I thought all LEGION are ordered to kill MAYHEM on sight.”

The group of LEGION snorted. A Shocktrooper answered this. “We’re not morons like the ones on Ministry of Pride. We just like to assess things first before attacking.”

“That means you guys are planning to attack us?” Gat asked, seems to be eager if they want to attack.

“Do we look like we have our weapons with us?” A Blitztrooper asked. “Master Hades forbid us from carrying our weapons until our punishment is done.”

Joule looked over to examine the group of LEGION and nodded. “Yeah… there are no weapons with them.”

Rama sheathed her bow back. “Very well. I will not attack you, as it is not right to attack the defenseless person.”

Gat and Red Card also sheathed their weapons as well. Joule only simply put her weapon in one of her tool bag (for some reason she carried five of them)

 “So… you guys don’t like the Ministry of Pride?” Red Card asked, slightly amused of the fact that LEGION Ministries don’t like each other.

A Swarmtrooper who has been silent the whole time finally speaks, “Ministry of Pride’s troopers are nothing more than bunch of show off with big ego! They don’t even complete the standard LEGION’s military training—we heard that some of them got training from one of you (Braddock), but it’s still not enough. They are too proud to even interact with the other troopers from other Ministries.”

The Bombshells and Gat’s eyes widened as the Envytroopers listing every idiotic thing the Ministry of Pride have. Apparently, it’s more than hundreds.

“We’re glad that their leader, _Doctor_ Babylon was executed few months ago. He was worse than his own troopers and his lieutenants. He once led us to destroy a city when our own Minister was on probation. We lost _thousands_ of us thanks to him, even though now said city is in ruins.”

The MAYHEM Agents are gaping at that information. They just couldn’t believe how easy it is for them to gain one. Apparently, the Ministry of Envy are saner compared to the Ministry of Pride.

“It’s just sad of what happened to the Ministry of Gluttony,” a Shocktrooper murmured. “I heard they are a mess now.” Which resulted the other troopers to nod in agreement.

Remembering that it was Persephone’s old Ministry, Rama quickly asked, “A mess? What do you mean? Is something happened?”

“Ever since Mistress Proserpina left the LEGION, things gone completely downhill for Ministry of Gluttony.” A Shocktrooper said.

“Hold on, who’s _Proserpina_?” Gat asked.

The LEGION troopers looked confused. “You don’t know? That’s your boss. Proserpina Regina is— _was_ Persephone Brimstone’s alias.”

Gat was speechless like the other Agents.

“Hades Rex and Proserpina Regina,” Rama muttered. “Scheherazade was right. It’s quite a bitter irony.”

* * *

 

It was almost midnight when Lucas led Persephone to a rather quiet park a few distances away from the Piazza. No one but them in the park, which somehow gave out a feeling of serenity. It was a rather calming night and Persephone was glad that nobody is going to ruin this night—unless if Lucas had done something disruptive, which Persephone had been anticipating about it.

Her conscience immediately scolded her for ill-wishing her ex-husband like that.

 _“There. No one and not even your Agents are going to follow us here,”_ Lucas signed. _“we are all alone now.”_

“Yes, I am aware that,” Persephone muttered. “What are we doing here?”

 _“Strolling around this park,”_ Lucas answered. _“what do you think we are doing?”_

She frowned. “I thought you are going to kidnap me or kill me.”

Lucas’s eyes widened at her statement. _“What? NO! I will never, ever do that to you!! Never!”_

Persephone only reaction is crossing her arms and glares to him.

 _“Why do you distrust me so much?”_ Lucas asked, sadly. _“I’m trying to reconcile with you. Why do you push me away? Do you still hate me?”_

The last sentence immediately stops Persephone from giving another remark. It reminded her of her dream last night. Of her tearfully confessed to him the reason why she can’t love him again.

“No,” she answered. “It just that I… I can’t love you again.”

His eyes widened at her.

_“You can’t? Why?”_

She avoided to look to his eyes. “I just can’t. Please, don’t ask me why. I can’t even explain it.”

 _‘I don’t want to explain it’_ She thought.

He sighed as if he wants to cry but can’t. His reaction almost makes her want to amend her statement and just tell him her reason, but she didn’t.

“I wish that you hate me instead of trying to do this useless reconciling,” Persephone stated. “You and I both know that this is not working.”

 _“Persephone…”_ He signed. _“Please, let’s try again. I don’t care about the Morningstar’s threat. I don’t care about the LEGION. I only care about YOU.”_

“Stop it,” she could feel tears built up in her eyes. “Please, stop trying. It’s over. There is no us. There will _never_ be us.”

At this point, the Minister of Envy had succumbed to one knee as he kept pleading to her. _“Mi reina, please. Just give me another chance. You had done that before.”_

“A stupid mistake from my part,” she said. “I shouldn’t try to give you that chance…”

_“Mi reina…”_

“STOP!” She suddenly exclaimed, surprising her ex-husband. “Please… stop. I’m not your queen nor I’m your goddess. I am not the same girl you’ve met decades ago. I am not the same woman you once married to. I’m… someone who wants to stop you. Someone who should be your enemy. Someone who will be your downfall. Please, Lucas. Don’t try to fix the unfixable. You and I both know that this will never work in the end.”

Lucas looked even more depressed the more Persephone kept explaining. Her main reason is clear; their relationship is too dangerous to even work consider the LEGION vs MAYHEM conflict. It bitterly reminded him of those tragic love stories from Greece.

Persephone didn’t expect it when Lucas suddenly stand up and hold her in his embrace.

 _“I would rather die than hurting you. I would rather die than letting you hurt yourself,”_ he signed. _“I would kill myself if you wish me to, but I won’t let you hurt yourself because of me.”_

Without any hesitation, they both kissed with such passion and only the bright moon and the starry night skies served as their witness.


	13. Chapter 13

“What do you mean she’s gone?” Friday asked through the comm.

 **“Something happened at the festival and the next thing we know, we lost sight of Persephone!”** Hollywood reported.

 **“I hate it when every good thing gone wrong…”** Safeword muttered. **“I was hoping to catch Persephone making out with her ex-husband using my camera.”**

Friday sighed. “This is really bad. Gremlin, I told you this whole operation will lead us into more problem!”

“I wasn’t even count Persephone to get kidnapped!” Gremlin stated.

“Who got kidnapped?”

Both Friday and Gremlin shrieked as they found Persephone who suddenly standing behind them, looked quite miffed.

 **“Hold up, Persephone is with you now?”** Kingpin asked.

Persephone just raised her eyebrows as she stared at both Friday and Gremlin.

“Um… yeah.” Friday answered as she eyed toward the Frenchwoman, warily.

There was an awkward silence throughout the comm channels.

 **“Well… just tell her that we couldn’t find any trace of LEGION’s activity on this graveyard.”** Kingpin added, before he quickly turned off his comm.

 **“No sign of any LEGION around Palazzo Medici either.”** Fortune answered.

 **“I guess we didn’t find any clues from our assigned locations.”** Yeti added.

Persephone did not answer her Agents’ reports, but instead turned to Friday and said, “Tell the Agents that I have decided to let Carol from HR to deal with them instead tomorrow morning.”

Friday nodded, ignoring the collective groans from the comm channel. “Y-yes, ma’am.”

She looked to Gremlin, who paled at the glares she received. Persephone did not say anything to her however but merely snorted and walked away to her office.

Both Friday and Gremlin exhaled, relieved that they’re not in trouble. But the Agents do unfortunately.

* * *

 

_Few minutes earlier…_

She gasped in need of air as she pulled out from Lucas. It was perhaps one of the most intense make out section that they could ever manage. The last time it was that ‘exciting’ was when he visited her in one of her LEGION’s lair in Monaco.

“Wh… what,” she murmured. “what have I done?”

 _“You kissed me?”_ Lucas signed. _“I’m pretty sure you kissed me. I could still feel your lips. And your tongue.”_

Persephone’s eyes widened at the thought that she was the one who initiated it on the first place. Her face reddened in embarrassment. "Sorry..."

Lucas looked at her, endearingly. _“Why are you apologizing? I enjoyed the kiss. I do miss this version of you.”_ He winked at her, causing her face to turn into an even more dark shade of red.

 “I don’t know what came to me,” Persephone stated. “all I know that I wasn’t supposed to kiss you. But I did.”

_“Then why do you did it?”_

It was for the first time she ever felt so nervous. “I…I guess I do still miss you, _mon chère…_ ” 

 _“But you still hate me?”_ he signed, a little bit stunned over the fact that Persephone just called him ‘my dear’. It’s been so long since he last hears her call him that.

She shook her head. “No. I never hated you, Lucas… Instead, I hate myself for pushing you away.”

Lucas’s eyes widened at that statement. It’s very rare for him to hear his ex-wife suddenly confessed something, due to her mistrust to almost everyone. She did share her secrets to him during their marriage days, but not much and only few bits about her past and herself, while she knows almost _everything_ about him.

“ _Je suis désolé, mon amour_ …” She murmured. “It hurts me… w-when I saw the news. Of how your Ministry destroy my hometown. I was blinded by my rage of you betrayed me. And when you suddenly approached me and told me of what exactly happened…”

_“You felt guilty?”_

“Yes… I was completely shocked and guilty of how I treated you when we met again. I felt like…” she looked away from his eyes. “…I don’t deserve you.”

_“Mi reina, I—”_

She immediately holds his hands, stopping him from sign his reply. “I don’t deserve to be your Queen or your Goddess. I… don’t deserve to be your wife either…I’m sorry Lucas. I don’t deserve your _love_.”

She could have just leave him there, but he was fast enough to grab her arm and pulled her into another kiss, signifying his forgiveness to her.

* * *

 

_Back to now…_

“Hold up, why we also got sent to HR? We’re not with you guys when _you_ lost Persephone on the festival!” Gat complained.

“I have a feeling that Persephone may have begun to suspect something,” Scheherazade admitted. “and some Agents are not skilled in the art of subtlety.”

Joule was obviously disappointed that she must spend time in the HR for something that she didn’t do. Rama was neutral with all of this.

 **“Well, good news to Agent Gat, Rama, Joule, and Red Card,”** Friday suddenly announced through the ship commlink. **“Those mentioned will not be send to HR, if you have a valid report about the LEGION activity in Florence Cathedral.”**

“Yes!!” Red Card pumped his fist in the air, while the other Agents who didn’t get mentioned groaned.

“Not fair!!” Daisy shouted.

“Traitor…” Kingpin muttered.

Rama just rolled her eyes. “But we DO have some important information from LEGION. Surprisingly, they are very cooperative.”

“It was indeed really strange,” Joule agreed. “we didn’t even need to fight them to extract the intel. They freely gave that to us.”

* * *

 

“So, what happened in the Cathedral?” Persephone asked, straight to the point.

“A really weird encounter of the LEGION, I must say.” Rama stated.

“Oh? And why is that?”

Red Card added, “They are friendly to us. Like meeting with a fellow football enthusiast.”

“And they don’t give us a fight!” Gat complained. “They claimed to be in some sort of punishment directly from their Minister.”

“Punishment?” the Frenchwoman raised her eyebrows at this, but not surprised at the info.

“They were punished to sell things in public,” Joule said. “harmless stuff. Like roasted peanuts, snacks, drinks.”

“I’m not surprise. Minister of Envy always punish his troopers to do some labor,” Persephone smirked as her Agents were gaping at her statement. “did they tell you of why they were punished?”

“Something about botched their last mission.” Rama stated.

“And you say they were friendly to you?”

Her Agents nodded.

“That actually sounds very normal for the troopers of Ministry of Envy,” Persephone answered. “The Envytroopers are well-mannered compared to the other troopers from other Ministries. Well of course, Gluttonytroopers were far better during my time as their Minister.”

Her Agents were gaped. Again.

It was Rama who speaks again. “Speaking of the Gluttonytroopers, we do have information about your former Ministry.”

“Hm?”

“Ministry of Gluttony was disbanded by the Morningstar few weeks ago,” Rama stated. “something about the sudden increase of… obesity among the troopers?”

It was Persephone turns to gaped.

* * *

 

The report is clear; Ministry of Gluttony had been disbanded due to the incompetence of their new Minister. Persephone was unsure of what kind of idiot the Morningstar had hired before, but it happen. Her replacement apparently had the audacity to stick true to their moniker. Instead of pacifying the masses through entertainment, sex, drugs, and video games like what the Ministry’s purpose was, they began to feed the troopers with experimental foods that were supposed to be used to general populace, not for LEGION. The troopers were grow sicker and gained a lot of weight because of that. Not only it causes the Gluttonytroopers to become less agile and less lethal, some of them even die from heart attack and diabetes.

Because of the major fuck-up from the new Minister, most Gluttonytroopers that didn’t suffer from obesity moved to Ministry of Envy (other Ministries want them as well, but the Gluttonytroopers prefer to go to the Ministry that was led by their former Minister’s ex-husband). Those who blindly loyal to LEGION began to question themselves, they even started to hope that Persephone is kind enough to let them join MAYHEM—even though is very unlikely due to her infamous of being merciless.

Persephone was completely speechless when the report presented to her. And she had no idea how to address that.

She was pondering over what she is supposed to do with the information, when suddenly an explosion can be heard from the Mess Hall. Gremlin had accidentally trigger a failsafe from one of her invention.

She sighed. “Maybe I should have gone to retirement earlier than I planned…”

She could have go and scold Gremlin for her incompetence, but to her astonishment, an unopened letter flew from above her and landed on top of her desk. The envelope had ‘to my Queen’ written on top of it. Persephone smiled as she opened it.

_To my beloved,_

_Love is patient._

_Love is kind._

_It does not envy._

_It does not boast._

_It is not proud, it does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs._

_Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres._

_…_

_I want you to know that my love to you is like the one written above. It just a coincidence that a passage in the bible can described it perfectly._

_Will you give me another chance?_

_-L_

_P.S: If you were wondering how I got this letter sent to you, let’s just say you’re not the only one with the Helleporter technology._

It is good thing that no one is around her, they could probably see her face slowly reddened and smiled at the sweet letter she received.


	14. Chapter 14

_Persephone had another dream of her ex-husband. They were having some intense make out section on a bed, with her instinctively unbuttoned Lucas’s shirt during in it._

_She still had no idea why she had this kind of dream, but she enjoyed it as usual._

_She must’ve been really miss him a lot. Or maybe she’s just really ‘desired’ him that much. Both answers are right, much to her embarrassment._

_She torn his shirt away from him, exposing his well-sculpted chest and abs that would make any men jealous, which is quite impressive consider his age. He chuckled at his ex-wife eagerness. He too is as eager as she is._

_ “You’ve missed me that much?”  _ _he signed as they catch breath in between kisses._

_“Yes.” She murmured, before she captured his lips again, hungrily. Deep down, Persephone felt ashamed for acting like a horny teenage girl, but can you blame her? It’s been so long since the last time they osculated—and it was four decades ago._

_She forgot of how exciting that time was. It’s quite a shame that LEGION is the reason why her relationship with her Lucas started to grow distant._

_Her Lucas. Huh, she couldn’t believe how right that sounds. Lucas must’ve thought of her as his Persephone._

_Both sounds so right._

_“Mon bien-aimé, don’t leave me,” she whispered. “leaving you was the worst decision I ever make…”_

_ “I will never leave you,” _ _he signed, kissing her forehead. “you are my everything. I can’t live without you.”_

...

She didn’t jolt when she woke up from the dream. Once again found herself drenched in sweats, much to her annoyance.

“What the hell did I just eat?” she muttered as she recalled the strange taste she found on her meal during dinnertime.

* * *

 

“So, let me get this straight. You asked Scheherazade to spiked Persephone’s dinner with aphrodisiac and because of that, she had been acting like a cat prowling to find her mate?” Joule stated. “I can’t believe you actually did that, Rama.”

The Archer shrugged nonchalantly. “You have to admit that’s enough to lessen Persephone’s toughness on us.”

Joule’s rolled her eyes at that. “It’s sounded wrong. You do realize that you actually drugged an elderly woman, right?”

“Persephone doesn’t even look like an _ordinary_ elderly woman,” Rama stated. “at this point, I’m starting to get jealous of her secret of being ageless.”

Joule nodded at Rama’s statement. Many women will surely do anything to be beautiful despite age.

“Speaking of elderly, why Kingpin avoided Quartermile last night?” Joule asked. “That old man might be conceited, but I don’t think he’s that terrible.”

“Well… Kingpin said that he saw Quartermile…” Rama looked disgusted as she continued. “having sex with one of the Agent vehicles.”

Joule’s eyes widened before her face took a shade of green.

* * *

 

“Persephone?” Friday called. “one of our intel found something regarding the Ministry of Envy.”

The Frenchwoman looked passive, which in truth is hiding her curiosity behind her usual cold façade. “Explain.”

Friday gulped. “Well, according to this, the Ministry is planning to leave Italy. Apparently, they had managed to complete their current objective here and is proceeding to head to another country to finish their Minister’s personal goal.”

“ _Personal_ goal?” Persephone hissed.

“We don’t know what exactly his goal is, but the intel suggested that Hades Rex’s goal had nothing to do with the Dark Matter or even any political figures to be assassinated,” Friday stated. “is as if he doesn’t operate under LEGION’s banner.”

That peaked Persephone’s curiosity to another level. _‘What are you doing, Lucas?’_ she thought.

“The other Ministries are agitated with Ministry of Envy’s sudden deviation from its supposed purposes,” Friday continued. “but they decided to ignore it because it’s minor and doesn’t damage the LEGION’s structure. Hades Rex doesn’t seem to plan on taking over LEGION like what Doctor Babylon did before.”

_‘What game are you playing at, Lucas?’_

“I don’t like the sound of this, ma’am,” Friday murmured, almost scared at what Persephone’s reaction going to be to the news she’s about to announce. “it’s seems the Ministry of Envy is heading to…. Paris.”

Persephone’s face still looked cold, but her emotion was in turmoil.

* * *

 

The Ministry of Envy was busy preparing themselves to move to France. No one and not even the Minister’s lieutenants questioned of their Minister’s decision to go there. Everyone knows that the subject of ‘Paris Destruction’ was sensitive to their Minister. It’s not his fault and yet seeing said city reduced to merely pile of rubble brought nothing but depression.

That and because Paris was their Minister’s ex-wife hometown. It’s a common knowledge within the LEGION after all.

Lucas Brimstone, the Minister of Envy, and Master Assassin, observed his Ministry’s activity with unemotional face. It’s scary because he could have been thinking to kill some unfortunate trooper if they suddenly make a mistake. He’s unpredictable and dangerous, something that he’s infamous of within the LEGION—even Persephone remembers that, and it saddens him. He wished that she also remembers of how kind-hearted he is to her.

 _‘I already told her MAYHEM—if I told them that during that truth serum— that I will do anything to be with her again. And that’s what I’m going to do now.’_ He thought. _‘No one should ever stop me. No one. Not Morningstar. Not LEGION. Not even MAYHEM.’_

“Master Hades,” a Helltrooper saluted to him. “The Helleporter is ready. We’re waiting for your next command.”

Lucas stiffly nodded, motioned his trooper to tell the others to be prepared. His troopers are efficient and discipline, like Persephone’s former Gluttonytroopers. His Ministry could have easily take over the LEGION from inside when everyone least suspected it, but no, taking over is not his goal and never will. He’s wise enough to resist temptation of being in power, unlike that stupid Minister of Pride.

He is proud of his Ministry, and they are loyal and willing to follow their Minister to their death. The kind of loyalty that not even the other Ministers can manage to procure it from their own troopers. He was successful on recruiting the Gluttonytroopers and gain their loyalties to his Ministry where the other Ministers failed to do so.

_‘If the intel is correct. Paris would be the place where I can find a professional otolaryngology. It’s about time for me to get this larynx fixed. And it’s about time for my beloved Persephone to hear my voice.’_


	15. Chapter 15

_Two months later…_

The activity in the ARK is still usual, with the newest threat from the Ministry of Wrath in London, constant interference from unknown third party (a ridiculous voodoo themed street gang who mistaken MAYHEM as another gang—what the hell), and several destruction that only Ultor able to pay for the repairment, everything is normal by MAYHEM standard (no matter how many times Carol from HR wants to set it up to the actual _normal_ )

But Persephone Brimstone is still worried. There are no signs of Ministry of Envy’s activity from the past two months as if they had disappeared out of existence. Her intel is useless as they couldn’t even pinpoint of Minister of Envy’s whereabouts.

She started to get not only anxious but more depressed with her whole situation. What exactly she is with her ex-husband? She thought that Lucas may have been playing with her feeling, but her conscience kept saying no. She got so miserable, she ended up overworked her staff and her Agents to search for the man who she supposed to hate years ago.

Carol from HR got so worried for Persephone’s mental health, she ended up cooperating with the Agents to find way to distract Persephone away from her ‘desolate cage’. (it’s not part of HR’s job description, but what can they do if their own employer gotten so ‘out of reach’? Who’s going to pay them?) The Agents of MAYHEM are so concerned with their boss, they even agree to minimize the chaos they normally do just to not put another weight to Persephone’s sanity.

After all, no matter how tough Persephone is toward them, she cares of them as well—in her own way.

It took her for another month before she reverted to her usual self. At that point, she decided to forget about all of those ‘silliness’ she did with that _thrice_ damned ex-husband of hers. She doesn’t need those mushy romance that could potentially kill her if she’s not being careful and she is pretty proud of having the reputation of being heartless toward her enemies. She doesn’t need her well-crafted image being shattered by acting like an idiot, fall in love all over again with him. It’s already bad enough to have her Agents spied on her ‘meetings’ with him and found her acted way out of her character.

Although… she is unsure if she can completely live devoid of love. 

And when one of her intel finally found a clue about Minister of Envy’s current location, she started to doubt if her future is going to get better without Lucas.

Or maybe because one of her Agents must have spiked her beverages and foods with aphrodisiac again, which caused her to have rather dirty and inappropriate thoughts of Lucas.

* * *

 

“He still in Paris,” Persephone said. “did I hear that correctly?”

Friday nodded, shakily. “Yes, ma’am. Although, there are some info stated that he was last spotted around Marseille as well. Other than that, nothing.”

“Marseille?” Persephone murmured, before she thought, _“One of our private chateaus is in there.”_

“We do believe that he has place in there,” Friday reported. “Persephone, I know that you don’t like what I’m about to say, but… we are worried about you.”

Persephone raised one of her eyebrows at this.

“The Agents had already expressed their concerns over your current state. They believe that you shouldn’t go against Minister of Envy all by yourself.” Friday said.

“Oh.” Persephone deadpanned, clearly not amused of having her Agents completely worried of her.

Friday sighed as it is clear that Persephone is not fully interested in hearing her advice. “So anyway, Safeword claimed that she managed to hack into his personal database and found proof that he had been visiting a local otolaryngology from the past few weeks,” Friday looked over her datapad. “it appears that it was his reason of why he’s in France on the first place.”

“He’s having a larynx surgery.” Persephone stated.

Friday nodded.

“Anything else?”

Friday shook her head.

“Good,” Persephone then stood up from her seat. “I’m heading to Paris. And whatever you do, don’t follow me. I would prefer to deal with my _husband_ alone.”

Friday gaped at Persephone’s sudden bluntness. And realized the fact that Persephone called Lucas Brimstone as her husband instead of _ex_ -husband and blatantly ignored the request to have backups.

What an interesting turn of event.

* * *

 

The Ministry of Envy had obeyed their Minister’s order to stay low while they are in France, as Lucas Brimstone decided that he finally has enough with LEGION’s bullshits.

He was appalled when he received a quite harsh order from Morningstar, commanding his Ministry to retrieve some powerful artifacts that buried beneath his hometown, León. Which of course, Morningstar doesn’t care if the place will end up burn to the ground in the process if it is the only way to obtain said artifact (whatever it is). Lucas pretended to obey it (and wondering why Morningstar didn’t ordered Ministry of Lust instead. Isn’t artifact retrieval _their_ job?), which afterward ordered his now amused troopers to go sunbathing in Brazil instead, disguised as ‘item retrieval’ mission.

So yeah, Lucas Brimstone had deemed that Morningstar is too insane and paranoid megalomaniac to even allowed to live. Now all he must do is to plan some rather complicated assassination to this so called ‘future god’ and maybe… humiliate the more bigoted LEGION Ministers while he’s at it. No doubt MAYHEM would be more than happy to help him if he has their interests and is fully against LEGION.

He wondered if Marcus Longinus would look good in pink frilly boa and wearing clown make up.

“Master Hades,” one of his troopers saluted. “one of our intel stated that Persephone has arrived and is looking for you. Shall we send one of us to take her here?”

Lucas shook his head. No, he should be the one to meet her directly.

After he dismissed his trooper, he looked back to his wedding ring that he still wears. The golden ring still glittered even under the cover of darkness and the many years it had survived through.

He smiled at the thought of finally reconciling with his beloved Persephone.


	16. Chapter 16

Paris, the capital of France. 105 square kilometers and a population of over 2 million people. One of Europe’s major centers of finance, commerce, fashion, science, music, and painting.

But now is nothing but the biggest pile of rubbles from Europe.

Lucas Brimstone was standing in one of the few undamaged areas, overlooking toward the destroyed Eiffel Tower. The damages are far too severe for Paris to be rebuild again. It was indeed a heartbreaking sight. Lucas sighed as he reminisced that time when he took Persephone here as part of their 35th wedding anniversary. He smiled as he remembered how bright her face was when she took in the view of her hometown—and literally dragged him across the city just to see Eiffel Tower for closer look in her infinite excitement.

Yes, he was standing right at the spot where they shared kiss after an adventure (more like massive chaos involving heists and minor explosions, injuring the local mimes around Eiffel—Persephone hates mime) around the city. It was another one of their breathtaking kisses, which soon lead to another one their more aggressively love-making section.

Then again, it was before their separation.

 _‘I miss you, mi reina…’_ he thought as he pulled his dark jacket even a little tighter. The weather here had gone chilling ever since Paris had been reduced to mere debris. The cold weather somehow reflected his feelings right now.

He told his troopers to leave enough clues to lead his Persephone to this place. He probably should have specified what kind of clue he was talking about.

Oh well, at least his troopers understand that his Persephone should not be harm in any way. Unless they want to be introduced to Death in immediate time.

His spies had informed him that Persephone was frantically searching for him from the last few months ever since his Ministry suddenly took off from Italy. Her Agents were sent to almost every continent in the world just to find him. Lucas felt that there must be a reason of why she wants to see him again.

What does she want with him anyway? The last time they part away, they make-out for the second time on that night after her teary confession, before pulling away and immediately left to their respective places without saying a word (also because her Agents kind of being a nosy bunch). He sent her a letter that he had forgiven her though, but he’s still had no idea what her reaction is or her answer.

So, he decided to stay away from her for a while. He thought that she may need some space to think of what respond she should give to him.

He was indeed flattered from the amount of attention she gave by issuing an international search for him. It almost like… she wants him back.

But as in back to her literally, or back to _her life_?

The fact that he also had taken that surgery to fix his larynx, so he can speak again. The doctors had announced that he can try to talk a few words, but they advised him to not to shout as his throat is not strong enough to do so.

He’s scared at what his voice would sound like. The last time he talked is when he was 20 and it was an incident involving with his first target able to slice his throat, rendered him mute until today. Persephone never know of what his voice sounded like because he’s already mute before the first time he met her.

His troopers aren’t with him as he commanded. No need to agitate Persephone further by showing up with armed men. He is all alone, waiting for her. And fully expecting a very angry Frenchwoman, because he knows, he at least deserves that for not being there for her when she betrayed LEGION and not coming to her immediately.

* * *

 

“So… Persephone is currently not here,” Friday said as the Agents are gathered in the conference room. “and what is this about a street gang wanting to challenge MAYHEM?”

Kingpin frowned. “Not _a_ street gang anymore. _Two_ street gangs more like it. Me, Scheherazade, and Oni had to fight a fucking yellow ninja themed gang yesterday—they stole the VK’s color theme! Apparently, they are assuming to believe that MAYHEM is another street gang, which is a whack if you ask me.”

“Another street gangs?” Friday asked, exasperatedly.

“They called themselves ‘Ronin’.” Oni stated. “Fortunately had nothing to do with Ministry of Greed or any other LEGION’s Ministries. I believe they're from the Akuji Clan, who still uphold the Yakuza code of honor, even though they are as greedy as my old clan.”

“Well that’s a relief.”

“I still think they’re bunch of whack.” Kingpin muttered.

“You’re just mad because they used your gang’s color.” Daisy quipped.

“Heck yeah I’m mad! Warren and I had copyrighted it!”

Rama and Joule were raised their eyebrows at this. “You copyrighted a color?”

“Gang color,” Kingpin corrected. “and I bet my entire collection of gold records that Persephone will no doubt draft a copyright for the color of purple.”

Oni face palmed. Scheherazade snorted.

“Eh… so, what are we going to do with another gang called ‘Son of Samedi’? My team and I fought them in Stilwater yesterday.” Hollywood said awkwardly.

“Son of ‘Saturday’?” Friday asked.

“No, they have Baron _Samedi_ as their mascot,” Fortune added. “the actual voodoo god. They have a lieutenant calling himself ‘Sunshine’ and I don’t think I want to know where he got that name.”

“Somehow street gangs are far more bothersome than LEGION.” Rama muttered, cast an annoyed look toward Kingpin.

* * *

 

Persephone sighed once again as she realized where Lucas wants her to meet.

“I will never get used of you being quite nostalgic, Lucas,” Persephone deadpanned. “this is the place where we kissed after I raided Musée d’Orsay.”

He smiled. _“You remembered that?”_

“Of course, I remembered all of my heists. It was one of the biggest heist I pulled out.” She stated.

_“I’m talking about how we kissed here.”_

“I am _unfortunate_ to remember that.” She said, disinterested.

Lucas frowned. Why Persephone being cold again? He thought whatever happened in Italy is enough to defuse any tension between them.

“I’m more curious of why you are here,” Persephone stated. “and I still have trouble of believing that LEGION had nothing to do with you being here.”

 _“LEGION doesn’t know I’m here.”_ He signed.

“Huh, that’s new,” she said. “I thought you’re _loyal_ to them.”

Persephone still believes that he still loyal to LEGION?

_“Why would I be loyal to the one that disarrayed our marriage?”_

She mollified at this.

“You… you really don’t want to be with LEGION anymore?” she asked.

The tone that she used when she asked that was enough proof that she hopes for him to escape from that damnable organization. Lucas was comforted with that fact.

“ _S í_.”

Persephone’s eyes widened at the unfamiliar sound and then silently gasped as she realized that he just…

“Did you just _talk_?”

Lucas slowly smiled.

“You always wanted me to talk.” He spoke again. The voice that came from his mouth sounded strange to him, being mute for decades. It took him weeks of speech therapy to be able to articulate words and re-learned his mother language and several other languages that he had already skilled enough. His original accent is gone forever though.

He still couldn’t believe that his voice would be as deep as a tenor opera singer. Oh well, maybe he could learn how to sing once all this LEGION’s delusion of grandeur is gone. The prospect of seducing Persephone with singing can now be come true.

“You sounded like… like…” she still gaping at him.

“Like what, _mi reina?”_

She mentally cursed herself for looking like a fool in front of him. She never feels this… this…

 _‘Why I feel turned on from hearing his voice?!!’_ Persephone mentally screamed, while her face is now the shade of maroon red.

Lucas looked amused as he watched Persephone trying come up a proper response but couldn’t. He slowly approached her, pulling her closer to him with his hand on her waist.

“Like what, _mi reina?”_ he asked again with a smirk.

Persephone gave him a glare, a playful glare.

“Just shut up and kiss me already.”

He did. And he did that perfectly.

The ruined Eiffel Tower behind them somehow still able to give the required sense of romance.

* * *

 

“Friday, you know where Persephone went at?”

“I’m sorry, Daisy. Persephone didn’t leave me any message of where she’s gone to,” Friday answered. “and I’m perfectly sure that I love my skin intact.”

“Huh?”

“Persephone will skin me alive if I told you where she is now. And yes, I know where she is. I just joked about the message part.”

Daisy looked at Friday as if the British woman suddenly grow another head.

“Yes, Daisy. I know how to make a joke.”  Friday sighed.


	17. Chapter 17

When Persephone came back from Paris, no one say or ask anything as if her sudden disappearance from the ARK is one of the most ordinary thing that ever happen. But mostly because they are still afraid of what she’s capable of when she’s angry. (Relic does not want to replace anymore statues)

One thing is clear though, that the Ministry of Envy is no longer a threat anymore. All they know that the Minister of Envy had suddenly disappeared and not even LEGION knows where he’s gone to.

Persephone knows, but she will never tell. As usual.

The Agents decided to just forget about it and concentrate on the newest threat made by the LEGION.

* * *

 

“…I would only say this once and I will not repeat it again, Marcus Longinus is one of the most valuable and strongest Minister that the Morningstar ever have. Do not underestimate him. There is a reason why he’s the Minister of Wrath.” Persephone concluded her briefing.

“Well, I guess you finally about to get your rematch, Hardtack.” Hollywood said.

“Heck yeah!” Hardtack stated. “I’m going to make him regret of destroying my fleet.”

Persephone merely stared as her Agents left the conference room and headed to Squad Bay, before she shook her head at the Agents’ overenthusiasm and headed back to her office.

“Hey, you guys notice something?” Fortune asked as Hardtack and Hollywood finished grabbing their weapons.

“Um, that Persephone seems to be in more pleasant mood?” Hollywood guessed.

“Yeah, and I noticed the ring.”

“The ring?” Hardtack and Hollywood asked.

“She wears a wedding ring on her left hand. Whatever happened in Paris must’ve been the reason why.” Fortune explained.

“So, she’s married again,” Hollywood stated. “damn, she’s no longer available on the market.”

Hardtack raised his eyebrow. “Are you suicidal or somethin’, Stone? Why the hell Persephone be interested with you?”

Hollywood shrugged. “Nah, I’m no longer interested with her ever since we found out of her real age—” he shuddered. “—oh, and Quartermile was creepy enough for trying to flirt with her. Seriously, that old man could not take a hint. I hope with Persephone being married again is enough to keep that guy away from her forever.”

“I agree on that,” Fortune said. “Persephone had several times threatened to castrate him if he continues to flirt with her again.”

“Speaking of creepy, do you guys know why Kingpin, Rama, and Joule are avoiding Quartermile recently?” Hardtack asked. “I tried to ask them, but they just told me that the less I know the better.”

Fortune and Hollywood just shook their heads.

* * *

 

Persephone smiled as she kissed Lucas in their private chateau in Marseille. It’s been a few weeks now ever since they reconciled. Lucas had arranged his ‘disappearance’ act as soon as he and Persephone remarried again in a small chapel with simple ceremony. They don’t have any living relatives or friends to witness their renewal vows though, which is quite sad.

But it’s better than having their wedding filled with armed LEGION troopers.

Having him declared ‘missing’ by the LEGION, prompted him to hide in Marseille after sending out his Ministry to scatter around the world. The chaos brought by them is enough to make the Morningstar to immediately disband the Ministry of Envy. The other Ministers looked appalled at the thought of having the Ministries reduced to just five now. The Minister of Lust is stressed out with the many jobs that the Morningstar is now given to him.

Minister of Greed had promptly fainted when he heard that he’s now in charge of assassination—and he’s deeply afraid of bloods and pointed objects. Minister of Wrath and Minister of Sloth just shrugged off when they are told that they oversee kidnappings together.

Despite of him finally changed side with Persephone, Lucas still doesn’t want to join MAYHEM.

“And may I ask why?” Persephone asked, a little bit hurt that her husband— _yes,_ husband decided to stay away from the conflict instead of fighting together with her.

 _“I would rather spend time together with you than constantly being worried by you for being reckless in the battlefield,”_ Lucas signed—it stuck as habit even though he’s no longer mute. _“Also, it gets tiring to kill people every time. We’re old, mi reina.”_

“True,” Persephone smiled fondly. “and my Agents would no doubt distrust you just as they still distrust me.”

He raised his eyebrow. _“Is this because we’re former LEGION?”_

She nodded at that. “As long as their goal is the same as mine, they can shove that fact aside.”

Lucas just hummed at this. At least his wife is happy of what she does and now that he can be with her as well…

They loved their current living arrangement. Persephone basically only being in the ARK for five days a week, before returns to spend time with Lucas on weekends. It arranged like that just to throw off her Agents’ suspicion gazes from her for constantly leave the ARK. Although, Scheherazade and Oni began to suspect something. But whatever they want to say about it, they decided to keep it to themselves.

“So… what are we going to do for tonight? Hmm?” Lucas whispered near her ear, causing Persephone to shudders—in a good way.

“I prefer when you’re not talking.” She replied.

“Really? Then why you always drag me to bed every time I’m done speaking—"

Persephone shut him up by kissing him on his mouth.

“You’re still _infuriating_.” She said as soon as she pulled away from him.

He chuckled at that. Persephone never direct at what she said. He knows full well that she loves him.

“A dinner then,” he smirked. “and a _dessert_ afterward.”

* * *

 

**RANDOM OMAKE**

Safeword looked over to her computer in horror, as Kingpin only looked solemn at her reaction.

“Euugh… I can’t believe Quartermile did that! And I thought Hollywood and Daisy secret relationship is creepy! But sexual relationship with a… _car_?!!”

“Told ya,” Kingpin shrugged. “So, what are you going to do with the recording?”

“I was thinking of using this to send him to local asylum, but blackmail material sounds better.” Safeword explained. “I always want a mini turret installed in the Agent vehicles.”

“Or minigun!” Kingpin piped up. “Man, Claymore will be all over the moon if we manage to blackmail Quartermile to allow him to weaponize the Agent vehicle.”


End file.
